Screw God, Believe in Yourself!
by Blasphemous Gay Sex
Summary: Sam is a wise sage, Dean isn't whining and Castiel hides things in the Batcave.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Screw God, Believe in Yourself

**Fandom:** Supernatural

**Pairing:** Dean/Castiel

**Rating:** M

**Spoilers:** Vague for season 6 but this is AU so you are safe.

**Summary:** Sam is a wise sage, Dean isn't whining and Castiel hides things in the Batcave.

**_ A/N: _**This follows immediately after my story "Holy Angel, Batman!". If you haven't read it you don't necessarily need it to read this. In summary, Sam sells his soul to become a lawyer, Dean is forced to shoot him down and Castiel betrays Dean because apparently he has been siding with heaven all along. Also yeah, they have a gay romance. Gabriel pulled a trick on Dean and so Dean has a lot of fake memories so he feels that he has been with Castiel for a long time.

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><p><strong><em>eschatology  eschaton / realized eschatology_**_  
>The Greek eschatos means "last thing" (e.g., Rev 1:17; "I am the first and the last."). But in the context of eschatology (a non-biblical term), the eschaton specifically means the last period of history. Eschatology, then, concerns the concepts and beliefs about the future, specifically about the last period of history. There are a variety of these throughout biblical literature. Most commonly, eschatology involves a new age, a time that is not corrupt and is perfect and, in the context of the worship of God, a time when evil is defeated and God is in full control. Some NT interpreters suggest "realized eschatology," which draws from Jesus' idea of his own appearance and ministry on earth. Also an adjective, eschatological.<em>

He gets up in the morning. He sleeps in Lisa's backroom. Originally, Lisa thought that Dean would share her room. Dean thought so too but as the weeks went on and he was unable to feel anything for her, not even the slight flicker of sexual desire, he found himself doomed to always be her friend.

He goes to work at nine. He works with a building company. It isn't ideal because Dean doesn't have that sort of experience. He can work on cars but no one is looking for mechanics and there is a recession on. The world is in turmoil and everyone thinks that the world is ending. Dean accepts any job that he can get. He has no real job experience. He has no references. The fact that anyone would take a chance on him is a miracle itself, if Dean believes in miracles.

Ben is brilliant. He really gets along with Dean even though for the most part, Dean is grumpy and unsociable. He tries for their sake but he feels like he is going through the motions. He isn't feeling anything anymore. He should be happy with this sort of life. There are no motels, good meals and he has a sort of family. He cannot help but feeling like everything is missing.

The Impala is under a tarp in the garage. She stays there because fuel for her takes away most of his wages and he cannot afford to, because he also feels obliged to pay Lisa something for dealing with his sorry ass. He looks at her now and again. He thinks maybe today, he will just get inside her and drive off a cliff. Then he thinks that he could never do that to his baby.

For the most part, he keeps his head down. He cannot ignore the demons though. Especially when the blow into town and start attacking the school that Ben goes to. Dean tries to bury his head in the sand about the whole thing for a long time but the world is ending. He is still a hunter and if he can help people, if he can save someone else's brother, then he will do it.

It starts with small things but soon everyone is coming to Dean for anti-possession tattoos. It won't protect them from the crop failures and the strange new brand of flu that makes smallpox seem like a doddle.

Still it is better than nothing at all and soon every single person in Cicero has one from the youngest to the oldest. Dean couldn't bear to watch Ben get his done but from what Lisa says, he was very brave. Ben got his where Dean's is because he says he wants to be just like Dean when he grows up. That is a depressing thought. Lisa's is placed on her wrist.

Most people stop and check to make sure their friends and neighbours and not possessed. People don't greet each other with "hello" anymore. The term that they greet each other with is "Christo". Public places are covered with devil's traps and salt lines. Most people's homes have warding sigils placed around them. People carry salt and holy water. For the most part demons stay away after than but there are still attacks. At least once a month if not more which puts everyone on edge. People just keep dying.

Dean helps out when he can. His knowledge of demons and hunting makes him a target amongst the people though and he hates it. Most of the time he wants to be left alone. He can bear the company of Ben and Lisa and a couple of the guys that he works with but beyond that most people irritate him. He used to be a people person but everyone reminds him of Sam.

Sometimes he cannot face the world at all. He will just sit in his room. He won't even get up. Everything will just feel numb and black and on those days even simple things seem impossible. He cannot work up the strength to get dressed. Eating is impossible and he doesn't make it to work. His boss seems to understand. They all think he has PTSD.

Lisa is as understanding as she can be. Every day, she sees the demons and the monsters that are crawling out of nowhere and she knows the trouble that he has faced with in the past. Dean has told her about Sam's death but only because he couldn't keep it from her. He had to tell someone. She had just been there. It had been late one night and he had been drinking. A lot. It came spilling out of his mouth before he could stop it and then he was crying. For the first time. For the first time he was able to feel.

Each day becomes more of the same. He works, picks up Ben from school, helps Lisa with dinner. Occasionally, he will drive with some of the men from the police department and they will hunt demons. It isn't good company but it is all that Dean has now and he doesn't trust to go hunting by himself because he knows that there will be that day when he makes a mistakes. Deliberately. And he will die miserable and alone. As much as he craves that, he knows that he could never do it.

It is a normal day by all length. Dean has been working for a couple of hours now. His lunch break is soon and he is looking forward to taking a break. As much as honest work is supposed to be good for him, it is back breaking and hard in all sorts of ways. It surprises him that this is what normal people choose to do.

His phone rings. He can barely hear it over the sound of the sander that he is using. He picks it up just before it switches to voicemail. He should have checked the caller ID.

"Dean," he hears Bobby say. Dean nearly hangs up. Not that he has anything against Bobby but that is a different life. A life that had Sam and hunting and dad. He pushed Bobby away because just hearing his voice is like being forced through into that world again and it is like being dragged over broken glass. "Don't hang up, you idjit."

"Bobby, what do you want?"

"Your brother is alive," Bobby says.

Dean drops the phone on the floor. He is out of there a second later without a word to anyone. He gets into his car and drives off. He is already in Omaha before anyone can notice that he has gone.

He arrives at Sioux falls in just over ten hours. He disobeys all sorts of speed limits as he does so but he doesn't care. He could get locked up in prison. Nothing is stopping him from seeing his brother.

"Where is he?" Dean demands the second that he enters Bobby's house. Dean walks in without so much as a by-you-leave and Bobby doesn't stop him. He knows how important family is to the Winchesters.

Sam had appeared in a ball of lightning in the middle of Bobby's Salvage Yard, destroying a whole heap of cars in the process. Bobby isn't going to complain about that just yet. The moment that he had seen the boy, he dragged him into the iron wrought panic room that he kept in the basement. The fact that Sam could even get into the room was a good thing. It was designed to keep Dean out. Bobby had done all the checks. It isn't a shifter, it isn't a ghost or a demon or a changeling or anything. Bobby checks everything but it just seems like Sam.

The giant is out and has been for the past twelve hours. Bobby knows he should be worried but hell, the kid is alive and breathing and that is just a miracle in itself. Bobby almost wants to call a certain angel down from his cloud. Almost.

Dean is in the panic room now and Bobby explains what has happened. Dean sits by Sam's bed.

"Sam?" Dean asks. Sam groans and his eyes open.

"Dean?" he asks confused. "Where am I?"

"In Bobby's panic room. It is okay. You are okay," Dean says. He doesn't know who he is trying to convince. This still could be soulless Sammy. The one that almost killed Castiel and countless thousands of other people.

"What is the last thing that you remember?" Bobby asks.

"I was in a meeting at college. The man, God, he was a demon!" Sam jumps up suddenly. "What happened?"

"Sam, that was years ago," Dean says. Perhaps Sam doesn't remember what he has done. It means that Dean is going to have to explain to Sam that dad is dead. That isn't going to go down well.

"There was something else but you are going to laugh," Sam starts. He looks unsure like he hasn't been since he was a teenager.

"Tell us," Dean pushes.

"I swear I was dead. I can remember being a ghost or a spirit or something then someone comes to me. God, he was so bright! And he says that I would be alive again. I think he was an angel," Sam explains. He looks from Dean and Bobby. "Yeah, yeah. I know call me a girl but I believe in angels okay?"

"What did the angel look like?" Bobby asks because there is no way that Dean can.

"Now you are going to think this is funny. He was wearing a trench coat and a bad suit," Sam says. "He had strange blue eyes and messy black hair." Sam looks between Bobby and Dean. "What?"

"That is Castiel. I thought he went to play for the team upstairs?" Bobby asks Dean.

"He did. I don't know what he is doing here," Dean replies.

"Well, call him down and ask him."

"It is not as simple as that!" Dean protests.

"Who is Castiel?" Sam asks confused.

"Oh, I am letting you answer this one," Bobby says. Dean pulls a face but he doesn't say anything. Bobby sighs. "Castiel is an angel."

"Angels?"

"Yeah, Sam. They have been walking the Earth for a while now," Dean says. "You have met Castiel before. You just don't remember."

Dean explains in a cliffnote version about what has happened. He explains how Sam sold his soul and Dean had to kill him. Dean doesn't think about leaving that sort of thing out. He explains about how the demons have been rebelling since they lost their leader and things have been in chaos. He also tells Sam about the angels' plan to destroy the world. He covers pretty much everything apart from his relationship with Castiel because that is something private and it honestly still hurts far too much for Dean.

"We have to fight," Sam says determined after Dean explains everything.

"Fight?"

"Against the angels and the demons and everything. Dean, I did so many bad things. I got you sent to hell. I want to make up for it. I have to put this right. I need to make this better," Sam says. He sounds so much like Sam. He honestly cares about other people. It is so ridiculously refreshing that it almost makes Dean cry but all he does is nod in agreement. If Sam wants to make everything right again then Dean is definitely going to help him.

He calls Lisa and explains that Sam is back and they are going to hunt down demons. Lisa doesn't understand how his dead brother could be back alive all of a suddenly and Dean doesn't have the words to explain it but she says "finally!" like she has been waiting for him to get a grip on life and actually face the demon threat that everyone is facing. He knows that they are not going to have a problem with finding hunts.

He and Sam head off back to Indiana just to pick up Dean's stuff. Lisa confesses that she never expected that this would be a permanent thing and Ben thinks that he is a jerk for leaving him. It doesn't matter to Dean because finally, after so many years, he is back on the road with his brother.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I seem to be doing things all backwards at the moment but this is fun after all. There will be more of the angel mythology stuff in the next couple of chapters but for now enjoy some Dean angsting. I think he deserves it after the last episode. Oh and this might be my last chapter for a while. I have developed a good thing with posting everyday but I think after tonight's episode I am just going to be unable to write!

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><p>It takes Sam two weeks but he snaps. He is a kind, caring brother. He puts up with a lot. Dean might be his big brother but he is a slob when it comes to everyday chores, listens to music too loudly and has no concept of common decency. All of that Sam can deal with. He has dealt with it years before he left for college and he is sort of glad that things could go back to that way when they are just bickering about nothing and everything.<p>

What he doesn't expect is for Dean to be, well, sulking is the only word for it. Dean gets angry over nothing at all like not have ketchup at his table in the diner, his laundry being itching or beds being lumpy. They have been used to these things all of his life. Sam knows that there is something else that Dean really wants to complain about that he isn't which is why he is taking it out on him and the waitresses and the staff at the motels.

"What the hell is wrong with you, man?" Sam demands. They are stuck in the Impala on another long drive. Sam feels like shooting his brother. He has been shouting at every car that they have passed. Sam is developing a headache and they are still miles from anywhere. This might be the best time that he can think of. The worst thing that Dean can do is kick him out of the car and expect him to hitch-hike.

"Nothing," Dean snaps back.

"Because if it is something that I did before," he makes a hand gesture which Dean cannot see because he is driving, "then want to know. If you are angry at me then I can leave…"

"No, Sam," Dean says suddenly. "I want you here. It is nothing that you have done, okay?"

"What are you missing, Lisa?" Sam asks with a suggestive grin. He is just glad that it isn't his fault.

Dean pauses. "I miss her but that isn't what is wrong," Dean pulls a face which Sam totally sees because he is staring at his brother. "No, Sammy. Are we going to sit here and braid each other's hair like girls?"

Sam notes Dean's patented "this is too emotional for my tiny brain to handle," and Sam knows that he should drop it.

Sam's next insight into what has been going on literally drops in on him after he has come out of the shower.

Dean is off doing whatever Dean does when he isn't in the motel room. Sam would think that Dean has been going to bars but he knows that Dean isn't going and picking up women. He must be really faithful to Lisa or something because he doesn't even look at other women now. It isn't like Dean at all and Sam is glad that Dean has managed to find someone that he wants to be faithful to. At least something good has come out of this whole mess.

He is dressed in just a towel and is still wet but seeing as his brother isn't around, it doesn't matter about that. Dean would probably complain about wet puddles on the floor or something. Dean complains about everything nowadays.

There is a man standing in the middle of the motel room. It is enough of a surprise that Sam almost drops his towel. He doesn't, thank God. There are devil's traps everywhere nowadays and there is no way that a demon would be able to just teleport into his room. But there is no way that he just used the front door.

Sam looks at him. He is wearing a battered trench coat and a bad suit. From the depths of his dreams, Sam remembers him.

"You are Castiel," Sam says. It isn't a question. There is something so otherworldly about him but at the same time it is non-threatening. The angel might be powerful but he doesn't mean them any harm.

"And you are Samuel Winchester," the angel replies. His voice is deep and growling. It is strange from a man of his size.

"Yeah, I am," Sam replies. He isn't surprised. This is the angel that brought him back to life after all. "Thank you. I mean for bringing me back. I don't think I like it where I was."

"I did not do it for you," Castiel says bluntly.

Sam feels a little bit hurt but he doesn't say it. "Then why did you do it?" Sam might be pushing his luck. The angel might decide that he is better off dead.

"I did it for Dean," Castiel replies. His eyes dart to Dean's bed.

"Dean isn't here," Sam says dumbly. He doesn't know how to react to the knowledge that an angel brought him back to life to make his brother happy. Dean doesn't even talk about the angel. Sam thinks that Dean really needs to start showing some gratitude himself.

"I am aware of that fact," the angel says with a hint of an sarcasm. "I came to see you."

"Why?"

"Because I needed to make sure that your soul is in place," Castiel says. "It was a difficult process and I need to assure that you are not going to be a threat anymore."

Sam nods dumbly. Of course, everything had been going to well so far. He has been brought back to life with his soul attached, there are going to be strings in there too. "What do you have to do?"

"It is going to be painful." Then the angel is taking off his belt and doesn't this just look suggestive. The angel's belt is forced between his teeth. It takes like old leather and something else that Sam cannot place. "You will need to bite down on that."

Sam takes a deep breath then suddenly the angel's hand is inside him. God, it is the most painful thing he has ever experienced. The pain is everywhere but nowhere at the same time because the angel is touching him in places that literally no one else could go. It inside his very core. The blind white and yellow light takes over his vision and he thinks that he is blacking out. Castiel's touch is overwhelming. He submits and lets the angel do what he wants without fighting. He has to bite down to stop screaming out though.

It takes several hour long minutes for it to be finally over. Castiel has is hand out of him and is rolling up his sleeves by the time Sam comes back into the world. He feels like he has ran several marathons but there is a purity inside him now.

"Your soul is fine," Castiel says. He takes is belt from Sam's mouth, wipes it on his coat and starts threading it through his trousers. "If you have any sort of demonic inclinations, I would advise that you call me."

"Call you how?" Sam asks. He doesn't think that angels have cellphones.

"Simply saying my name will be sufficient. I will be listening out for you," Castiel says. Then he is gone.

Sam stays still for a very long time after that. He wonders what has been happening between Dean and Castiel. Castiel seems to care about Dean but Dean obviously doesn't like Castiel. The angel does seem to be a little bit stiff and stern. The sort of person that Dean would have a lot of fun playing with.

"Dude, put some clothes on," Dean grimaces when he comes through the door. He has his car keys in one hand and he hasn't been drinking. He hasn't been picking up women. Sam doesn't immediately do what Dean wants for once.

"I had an interesting encounter this evening."

"What of the third kind?"

"Of the angelic kind." It is good that Dean isn't holding anything more breakable than his car keys because he drops them immediately.

"It was Castiel," Dean says. He looks around the room like he can bloody smell him.

"Yeah. He wanted to check in on me. Make sure the soul is in place and all that."

"And?"

"Yeah, I'm good. What I didn't know was about you two," Sam says keeping it vague. Dean would accidentally fill in the gaps for Sam as long as he thinks that Sam has more information then he actually has.

"What did he tell you?"

"Oh, you know. That he brought me back from whether I was for you," Sam explains. Dean's face lights up for a second. It is like Christmas. Dean looks happier for that one second then Sam has seen him since he has come back. Then his face falls again.

"It doesn't matter," Dean says and that is the end of that conversation.

They go back to hunting and neither of them say anything about Castiel again. Dean is still acting like a total jerk though.

Hunting isn't like hunting before. Because there are so many demons and creatures wondering about there is no need to hide and use fake IDs and stuff. Most people are glad that someone, anyone can help them. Locating demons becomes ridiculously easy because most people know where they are and it isn't like they are trying to hide. Even the police and other authorities do whatever they can to help Sam and Dean do their jobs. Sometimes people actually give them money.

For the most part, hunts are about training other people how to protect themselves against demons and making sure that they are getting the right information. It is brilliantly awkward when Dean is expected to speak to a school about being "Demon safe". He is so uncomfortable with all those people watching that Sam actually records it and sends it to Bobby. Bobby doesn't stop tormenting Dean about it for weeks.

Sam is a good brother and he knows that something is seriously wrong with Dean when Dean won't even touch cheeseburgers anymore. He would pick the veggie burger off the menu if it means he doesn't have to have it. Sam doesn't pull Dean up on it the first time because it had been a difficult day and maybe Dean is just getting older and cares about his health.

The third, fourth and fifth time, Sam just thinks that it is because Dean has suddenly developed an addiction to pizza. Then when he ordered a veggie burger for the first time, Sam knows that he has to order an intervention. They have been hunting together for six weeks now and Sam needs to get Dean over this mood that he is in.

He calls Bobby about the whole cheeseburger thing. Bobby laughs suddenly. He won't say though. Apparently, Dean has sworn him to secrecy or something. "Ask the angel, you idjit." Sam thinks he just might but not just yet. After all, the angel seems to only want Sam to call him when he is feeling a little not like himself. Not when he is finally so concerned about his brother, he needs outside or more like upstairs help.

Dean has gone out again. He goes out a lot to be alone, like a girl Sam thinks and it gives him time to convince himself, talk himself out of it and then talk himself back into it. So he calls the angel.

"Castiel," he mutters feeling like an idiot. "I don't know if you can hear me."

There is the sound of wings and suddenly the angel is just there. He still looks the same. He is still in that damn trench coat but there is a sword in his hand.

"Sam, is your soul slipping?" Castiel says with such menace that Sam knows if his answer is "yes", Castiel will stick the sword into his chest without a second hesitation.

"No. Not at all. I am just worried about Dean," Sam says quickly. He keeps two eyes on that sword. It looks like it could kill anything.

Castiel's face is a huge range of emotions. Sam makes out concern. "Is he unwell?"

"I don't know. He is just acting odd."

" 'Odd'," Castiel repeats. "How is he acting odd?"

"He is just angry all of the time. He isn't interesting in any of the women that are trying to pick him up," Sam explains and for the real deal-breaker. "He isn't eating cheeseburgers."

Castiel's brow furrows. "I do not believe he is in any physical harm."

"You don't understand. If you knew Dean better…"

"I know Dean very well," Castiel interrupts. The sword flashes in the minimal light. "I understand his pain but perhaps he is just a whining child that brought this on himself."

Then without another word Castiel is gone. Man, he is going to have a lot of fun with telling Dean that the angel thought that he is a whining child.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Yays another chapter! I didn't think I had it in me seeing as that episode was a real kicker. And it seems I am good for something. I literally had no idea that Castiel was the one that raised Dean when I wrote it in here a couple of days ago. They kept that one out of the spoilers. So apparently I can predict stuff. Now if only more things that I write come true... But anyway this is what happens when they give us an episode like that.

Btw, the inspiration for the title of this story actually comes from something I saw written across a phonebox on my way to the library the day before I started writing. It had fuck instead of screw so I thought I would tame it down a little bit but I suppose muse comes from everywhere :D

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><p>Sam wants to take the piss out of his brother. He really does. Having an angel call Dean a whining child is kind of perfect in the way that Sam would get bragging rights to for the rest of his life. Only it doesn't seem so funny anymore. Not really.<p>

Sam wakes up first thing the next morning and switches the news on the tv. He expects it to be the same old story. Demon attacks, strange weather storms, that sort of thing. What he doesn't expect is for Las Vegas to be suddenly wiped off the map.

The whole city is just gone. Blown up in a crater. No one knows what has happened. It happen in a second, sometime last night and then they were just gone. Nearly two million people killed in one second.

There had been no warnings. No signs. One moment it had been there and the next it had been gone. The first thought on everyone's might had been terrorist but it is so clean and efficient. There are no buildings left, there are no bodies, no nothing. There is just a hole in the ground where the city used to be. No bomb can do that. This is definitely an attack of a supernatural nature and everyone is terrified. They don't know who is going to be next. It could be any city in the world. With no warning they could be dead.

Suddenly, things like teasing his brother about things an angel said doesn't seem that important anymore.

They drive to Las Vegas themselves. The news footage is constant over the television, internet and newspaper. There have been thousands of photos and videos but they need to see it for themselves. It is the same feeling everyone is getting because this cannot be real. A whole city cannot just be destroyed like that.

They arrive at the site two days after it happens. It is almost impossible to get close enough. There are thousands of people there. Some in tents. Many with candles and prayers, all of them grieving. There are a lot of journalist and policemen all trying to figure out what happen. How could something go this badly wrong? How could things move forward after this? How could they stop it from happening again?

Sam and Dean managed to actually get close enough to it. They have a good reputation now. It is strange after all those times lying to the cops, using their real names is going to get them what they want for a change. The police let them through. There is something that they want them to see.

"It wasn't obvious at first," the man says. He is a young officer. He probably hasn't seen a lot of action. He worked mostly on the roads, stopping people speeding but police officers died in Las Vegas too and they need every man that they can get. He is sweating under the hot sun and looking like he would want to be anywhere else but here. "It wasn't until one of the journalists in a helicopter shot it. Of course we have kept all that silent. We didn't want something like this to get out. It would only panic people. Panic people more."

They are shown into one of the police tents. For once, they don't feel the usual swagger against the cops. They used to have a sort of arrogance, knowing that the police were out of their depths and now it is just terrifying.

On the far side of the room is a huge aerial map. It is hard to think that the huge crater used to belong to one of the largest populated cities in the US. Everything is just gone now. Apart from the huge marks that someone has helpfully highlighted in red pen.

"What is that?" Sam asks. But Dean already knows.

Everyone has been blaming the attacks on the demons. They should have realised that most demons don't have that sort of power. Demons are vermin and though they might be powerful, this is so out of their limits, it is almost comical. After all it isn't something demonic that destroys a city, it is divine. Dean laughs bitterly to himself and Sam and the police officer look at him confused.

"You are looking for the wrong creature," he mutters. Dean cannot read Encochian but he had spent enough time with Castiel to recognise the symbols. He can almost make out the lettering but the words remain at the back of his mind and he wishes that he had paid more attention to Castiel when he had been trying to teach him.

"What are we after then?" the police officer asks.

"Angels."

Dean doesn't talk to Sam or anyone much after that. He should have seen this coming. He had been adequately warned after all. He cannot help but think of Cas and how he has betrayed him. How Castiel has gone and left this world in his place. Perhaps Castiel is helping. What is Dean to know? He thought Castiel was better than this. He thought Castiel was good but he doesn't think so anymore. It is his kind that is doing this and Castiel is doing nothing to stop it.

"Angels?" Sam asks. They have been sitting in silence for hours. Neither of them can really understand this. Angels are supposed to be creatures of mercy or so Sam thinks. He just hasn't been around enough of them yet.

"Yeah, Sammy, angels. Told you that they were all douchebags," Dean says without enthusiasm.

Sam brings up a name that he hasn't in a while. "Don't you think that you should call Castiel?"

"No," Dean says immediately without reason.

"He seems like a good guy. He brought me back."

"He is still one of the douchebags."

Sam doesn't think that Dean is thinking properly so the moment that Dean goes to the bathroom, he calls him. Castiel comes immediately. He does not look good.

"Sam, what is it that you want this time? I am rather busy," Castiel says irritably. At least he doesn't have a sword this time.

"Las Vegas. What happened?"

"The Rapture is starting, Sam. These things are going to happen," Castiel says. His voice is monosyllabic. He doesn't mean what he is saying. Dean, coming out of the bathroom, seems to think so.

"So that is what you do now?" Dean asks with anger that Sam doesn't think is justified but then he doesn't have the full picture. He doesn't know Castiel like Dean does.

Castiel sighs but it is clear that he is resisting the urge to punch Dean hard. He is barely keeping that under control. "No. You know me better than that," Castiel says. He takes a step closer to Dean and then another. Dean isn't backing down and the angel is suddenly all in Dean's personal space. Sam has never seen the two of them together before and he wonders if this is a common theme between the two of them.

"Well, I don't know. Haven't seen you since you re-joined the angel patrol. If you ever left," Dean spits out. "You could be killing innocent people."

Castiel really does punch Dean. Dean immediately falls to the floor hard. "How dare you?" Castiel whispers. He hauls Dean from the floor by his shirt. Dean's nose is most likely broken. His face his a bloody mess and all Castiel did was punch him once and if Sam is honest, he thinks that the angel is holding back. Castiel looks furious with Dean but more than that he just looks hurt. "You are the one who said that I should go. You were the one who went to that harlot and tried to fornicate with her. I thought you preferred it this way."

"No, Cas. No," Dean whimpers out. Castiel brings his hand up again but all he does is heals Dean's face. Castiel lets go of Dean so he falls to the floor again with a heavy thump.

Castiel is as good as Dean at avoiding the big elephant in the room. He returns to their original conversation. "The angels are destroying the world. I, and a handful of angels are trying to stop them. Our numbers are few and we are losing. It is foolish for us to try," Castiel explains. His hands run through his hair and he almost stutters the next sentence out. "I am doing it for you." He looks directly at Dean and then he is gone.

Dean hides himself in the bathroom for the rest of the evening. Sam's mind is racing and seeing as Dean won't talk to him, he has to call Bobby because this is just some really weird messed up shit going on. And Sam has lived all his life in weird messed up shit.

"Bobby, what is going on between Dean and Castiel?" He starts with. Before hello and all the niceties because seriously whatever it is and whatever Bobby knows Sam wants to know to so he can work out how to deal with it. Deal with Dean and a moody angel and the world ending.

"What do you think is happening?" Bobby counters.

"Well, if I didn't know any better," Sam trails off. He connects all the dots. What Castiel said about Lisa, he presumes, it makes him sound like he is jealous. Jealous that Dean is seeing someone else. Or at least trying to as Castiel put it. Dean couldn't have sex with Lisa? That was news to him.

"Trust your instincts, Sam."

"I would say that they were dating."

"Were being the important word, of course," Bobby says gruffly.

There are no words to explain just how shocked Sam is over this new development. His brother? Gay for an angel? Isn't that against God's law or something?

"Yeah. You should have seen them together. They give each other shit but I swear despite everything else that was going on," Bobby says instead of "despite you trying to destroy the world," because it sounds nicer that way. "They were happy."

"You couldn't have told me sooner?" Sam demands. He could have dealt with Dean better if he knew that he was trying to get over a difficult relationship. As far as Sam knows Dean has never had a proper relationship before. He has never been with anyone for over a couple of months. "How long had they been together?"

"Year and a half, maybe closer to two years. They spent a lot of time on the road hunting you. It is hard to keep track of the time," Bobby says. And wow, no wonder Dean hasn't been happy. He stuck with Castiel for two years.

"I am not even sure we broke up," Dean says coming from the bathroom. Sam hangs up on Bobby immediately.

Sam stares at Dean in disbelief.

"He just left, you know. He went back to Heaven and he didn't even try to come back and I was trying to come to terms with having to shoot you, Sammy. I wasn't thinking straight. I let him go," Dean says. His voice is breaking with emotion, the way that it doesn't unless he is talking about family. "It doesn't stop him being a jackass though. He lied to me. He always lied and now he is going to die for me and I have to stop it. We have to stop the end of the world."

Dean is so full of determination and grief that Sam immediately wants to help him. He thinks that if he can just stop the end of the world and fix his brother's gay relationship with an angel, then everything will be okay. That is a big if to manage but he thinks they can.


	4. Chapter 4

"_And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences and earthquakes, in diverse place. All these are the beginning of sorrows."_ Matthew 24:6-8

They try to ignore the news but it is hard not to. A war has broken out between the English and the French. An old grievance between good allies and there is a threat that the French will use their nuclear technology and then they will all be screwed. Most of Europe is getting involved in the conflict. Only Sweden of course, standing back while being completely in the middle. Everyone thinks that it might be the beginning of World War Three.

Sam and Dean are holed up at Bobby's trying to do research. They have a lot of lore and a lot of books but there is nothing in there about stopping the angels from literally destroying the Earth. This is how it is supposed to be. It is written in so many texts, even predating Christianity that it seems like they are fighting a battle with everyone else against them. It is judgement day and everyone is getting ready for it.

When Sam had headed out the city the previous Sunday, the church, probably for the first time since it had been build, was over flowing. People were stood out of the doors, desperate for some sort of redemption. It is almost comical in the way that suddenly thousands of atheist are suddenly believing again but it doesn't stop the new religions forming every day from arguing. No one can decide exactly what god they should be praying too.

Now they are sat in Bobby's study. Bobby has gone off on a run for something. Helping local hunters out, Dean and Sam hadn't been paying attention. Dean is falling asleep into the huge book that he is reading. He hasn't slept properly since they last saw Castiel, a month ago. He is determined more than anyone to solve this but then he is desperate. Sam has never seen him like this.

"Perhaps we should just let it happen," Dean says. He has been giving up for days now. He just seems hopeless and helpless. Sam would hug him if Dean wouldn't kick him for being a girl.

Sam is furious though. Dean can't give up. It has only been two months! They need more time before Dean thinks about doing something stupid. Despite all of the angelic interference in their lives, they know where they are going. There is no need to send them into the churches. There is no amount of praying that is going to absolve them. They have both been to hell once. They are going back again.

"No, Dean. Don't you dare give up!" Sam demands.

"Sam. I am just tired of all of this," Dean sighs and gets up from the table. He grabs his car keys. It would be the first time Dean has willingly left the books since they got here.

"Where are you going?" Sam asks. He tries to keep the furious anger out of his voice but he is failing. Just like Dean is failing.

"To a bar."

"No, Dean," Sam protests but Dean carries on going. His brother is behaving like a madman and if he wants to bury the end of the world in booze and possibly women, then he can if he wants. It isn't like there is an angel who wants to be with him. "Stop."

Then Dean stops. He physically can't move. It is his turn to be angry. "Sam, what the hell did you do?" Dean demands. He looks like a human statue. He cannot even move his eyes to glare at Sam. He is stuck mid-step.

"I don't know. I am sorry," Sam responds quickly and then suddenly, Dean is able to move again. He looks at Sam in horror. Sam hasn't seen Dean look at him like that before. He hates it. Dean knows what is going on though. Or at least he thinks he does. The last time Sam was able to do tricks like that he didn't have a soul to play with.

"You sold your soul again?" Dean asks.

"No!"

"Then how come you have got your freaky powers back again?"

"I don't know," Sam replies. He looks as confused as Dean does, so Dean decides to believe that he hasn't. He likes to think that he knows when Sam is lying and when he is telling the truth.

"So now we have to research this as well as everything else," Dean sighs. Despite how dedicated he has been to it these past couple of months, he hates it. He places his keys back on the table and looks at the pile of books that he hasn't read yet.

"I think we should call Castiel," Sam suggests. He expects Dean to blow up on him. The last couple of times that Sam has mentioned the name, Dean has gone and hidden or just blatantly ignored Sam until he talks about something else. Since Sam has discovered about Dean's gay and possibly blasphemous relationship with an angel, things have been different between them like Dean expects to think of him less. Sam would never but he knows that is what goes on in Dean's mind.

"Sure, whatever." That just shows how fed up Dean is, that he would willingly allow Sam to call Castiel. The last time they spoke, Cas punched Dean in the face after all. Dean just wants this to be over. He wants to get back to the point where if Castiel walks into a room, Dean could just kiss him. "You do it though."

Sam calls Castiel and for a moment nothing happens. Then there is an angel sat on Bobby's desk. "Hello boys," he says. "If you don't mind Sam, I am going to stay ten feet away from you. No offence but the last time we met, you shredded my wings."

"Gabriel," Sam manages to get out because, he remembers. He remembers what he did to the angel. God, he feels sick. Gabriel of course looks fine now but Sam thinks he will always see him like he had been. There aren't worth for Sam to say to describe how sorry he is.

"You remember. How nice for you," Gabriel says bitterly. "Can we get this show on the road? There are wars to fight and I like my wings the way that they are?"

"Whatever Gabriel. Where's Cas?" Dean asks.

"He's not coming. Unless you want him to, of course. He is a little busy and I thought I would come in his place seeing as he is still moping from the last time you saw each other," Gabriel replies. He takes a chocolate bar out of his pocket and starts eating it. "Now, what is up?"

Sam is almost reluctant to tell Gabriel about it after what he had done. He still doesn't remember what he did to Castiel and though he knows enough, he can't remember what it had been like. With Gabriel, he is reliving it and now he is going to tell him that he thinks that he is going back that way. "I think my powers are returning."

"About time too," is all Gabriel says. He doesn't even stop eating.

"This is supposed to be happening?" Sam asks, irritated with how Gabriel is treating it so matter of fact. He wants to scream.

"The powers were never what the demons did to you, they were always just you," Gabriel explains. "It is why the demons wanted your body so much in the first place. They didn't want your soul they wanted your power."

"I have never had them before," Sam remarks, he is trying to win his point.

"But you have never been this angry before. All that rage and frustration fuel it and make you ready to explode. The demons made that mistake. You were powerful with them but without your soul you couldn't feel as much hate as you do right now," Gabriel explains. "Frankly, I don't want to be in the room with you but this is good news."

"Good news?"

"There is a way to stop this. It might be a long shot but it is all that we have got," Gabriel starts. "There are two people, powerful people. One is supposed to take over hell from Lucifer and one is supposed to take heaven from Michael. You Sammy, are going to take hell."

"What? No!" Sam protests.

"It isn't as bad as all that. You can turn hell into whatever you want," Gabriel says. "Once you take over that is. You can decide on no torture. You can keep the demons under control. This is a good thing."

Sam is still in complete disbelief.

"Who is supposed to take Heaven?" Dean asks for the first time in the conversation.

"We don't know yet but we are working on it. That is what Castiel is looking for now. There are any number of people that it could be. The bloodlines got confused a bit."

Then Gabriel is gone and Sam is left to wonder exactly what the hell, no, he isn't using that word again, he is going to do.

Things are only getting worse. There are riots in the middle east and South America. In one night, all of the food in Australian is destroyed just like that. People are struggling to cope with what is going on. The whole world is struggling to cope. There are reports of strange, mass hallucinations where people go out shooting people down with guns, thinking they are possessed by demons. There hadn't been a demon involved at all. Sam can't take it anymore and he knows that to stop this he has to step up to the plate which is why, one morning, he gets up and decides to get stronger. He is going to help Gabriel and the angels with this fight if it kills him.

They start hunting again after that. There is no point researching when they know that the demons are still out there and they are waiting for Sam to lead them. Without his soul, Sam knew that he had been in charge of them but in a way they always had control of him. This time, he is going to be stronger. He is going to make the demons do exactly what he wants them to do. He is going to make them stop helping the angels from destroying the world.

Dean is still as depressed as ever. He is not filled with the Sam sort of purpose that Sam is but he is prepared to do anything that it takes to help Castiel even if he never mentions that it is what is motives are. Dean wants to call Castiel every minute of every day but he doesn't because he knows that the angel doesn't want to see him and he doesn't want to see the angel. Everything has changed between them and even the world ending is not going to help get them together again.

They are somewhere in Illinois. Dean's so exhausted, he had let Sam drive and so he isn't even sure what town they are in. It doesn't matter to him. It is still a motel room and it has two beds so he is happy. He could just sleep for a month but he knows he isn't going to because his brother is going to leave him, again but this time he is going to be the ruler of hell. That one is a little bit hard to deal with.

Sam has gone for a shower. They camped out in the car for the past two nights and they stink but it doesn't bother Dean. He thinks that if he tries to shower, he will hit his head on the tiles when he passes out. He flops on the bed, without bothering to even take off his shoes and he is almost asleep when there is a crash in his room.

Castiel is in his room. He has crashed straight in without breaking any of the windows or walls. He looks a mess. He is curled up in a mess on the floor. He doesn't look like he is breathing and Dean panics before he remembers that Castiel doesn't even need to breathe. Dean immediately on his feet. He forgets about being tired as adrenaline rushes through him. There is no way that he can be tired. Not when Castiel is hurt.

"Are you okay?" Dean begs. "Please tell me you are okay?" Dean grabs hold of Castiel.

"Dean," he manages to get out. His hands clutching his side release their grip and a white light bleeds out. Dean can feel it. It is Castiel's Grace. He is bleeding his Grace out. This isn't good. He could die. It is pretty much the only thing that can kill angels.

"Come on, Cas," Dean whispers. "Hold on, please."

Sam comes crashing into the room. He has a towel wrapped around his waist and he is looking at Dean and Cas in shock. "What's happened?"

"I don't know," Dean replies but he doesn't take his eyes of Castiel. "Damnit, Cas. I love you, please don't die." Dean brushes his hand over the wound. The light is so strong. It is so Castiel. It is like all those moments that they shared together. Dean wants to grab hold of it and push it back into him. He wants to keep Castiel the way that he is. Dean really doesn't want him to die.

Then the wound is healing. Dean doesn't know how it is happening but Castiel is fixing himself. Within seconds there is no wound there at all. Apart from the blood, there is no way of telling that Castiel had ever been hurt. Dean almost cries he is so happy but he doesn't because he is already so drained of emotion, all that he is capable of feeling is his love for Castiel.

Castiel leans up and kisses Dean on the mouth and it is perfect. Just like it always had been. He feels whole all of a sudden. He had been missing something this whole time. He hadn't even been complete and now he feels it. Castiel tastes like clouds and rain. Dean pulls Castiel closer. He cannot let him go this time.

There is a cough behind them and Castiel moves away from Dean. Dean tries to chase his lips but it is harder to do now that Castiel is a proper angel again. It isn't Sam but Gabriel who is making the noise. Dean wants to kill him. Sam just looks awkward.

"What do you want, Gabriel?" Dean demands.

"I think we have just found who is going to lead Heaven."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**: Two posts one day. You would think I have nothing better to do :D This one is the smut one. I thought this story should live up to its M rating after all.

Oh and I always thought it strange that Sam gets to have all the cool powers and he is Lucifer's vessel? Well what about Michael's vessel? He should have some kick ass powers too. So I thought why the hell not and did what I wanted.

* * *

><p>Gabriel explains it all. Castiel hadn't healed him. His Grace had been leaking so fast that he would have been dead within the hour. There is nothing anyone could have done for him. Gabriel, as an archangel, couldn't have saved his little brother. It was Dean and Dean's love for Castiel.<p>

"So you are saying that I have freaky powers?" Dean asks.

"Well, duh. You don't think they would have just let Sammy have all the good stuff now do you?" Gabriel asks. He smirks at Castiel like he is sharing some private joke that only angels get. Castiel is stumbling to his feet. He still looks a mess but he is alive and that is what matters. Dean wants Sam and Gabriel to go so he can enjoy this properly.

"How come I've never showed it before?" Dean asks.

"You have. You just don't remember it. There is only one person that you have ever given unconditional love to other than Castiel and she died in a fire in Sam's nursery," Gabriel says. He looks totally smug about everything and it just makes Dean want to get him to go.

"Okay, we get it Gabriel, just go," Dean instructs. Then Gabriel is gone.

"What did you do?" Castiel looks at Dean confused. "You sent Gabriel away."

Gabriel reappears soaking wet. "Thanks a lot for that. The next time you banish someone could it not be in the middle of the ocean."

"You mean I can get you guys to go away?" Dean asks incredulously. This sudden has gotten so much better.

"You can send us away, you can bring us back, you can make us do the hokey chokey and turn ourselves around if you want to," Gabriel explains though he is regretting it all ready.

Oh, Dean has so many plans for this.

"Before we start playing with this new power, it isn't safe to keep you here," Gabriel says quickly. "If anyone gets the knowledge that you are going to lead Heaven, they are going to want to kill you before you grow so strong that they can't. We have to get you somewhere safe."

"Why didn't you do this before for Sam?" Dean asks. "He is leading hell."

"Hello? Everyone has known about that for a long time. It isn't exactly a secret and the demons are already prepared to start marching to his drum. The angels do not want to follow yours. They only brought you back because they wanted you to kill Sam because you are the only person who can do that but they have every intention to send you straight back."

"So where is safe?" Sam asks.

"I have a place."

Then suddenly, they are transported by angel airwaves. Dean always hates that. They are in a house. If he is honest, it looks like a normal typical suburban house. There is nothing spectacular about it. Only he can sense the angel warding without having to see it.

"Where are we?" Sam asks.

"Pontiac, Illinois," Castiel replies. "It was the home of my vessel, Jimmy Novak. His wife and child are not here anymore and he gave me permission to use his house."

"You can talk to your vessel?" Dean asks. He knows all about possession. Demons possess people all the time. They tend to overwhelm the person and smother them inside themselves. He has never heard of vessel to spirit communication before.

"Yes, Jimmy is a good man," Castiel replies. He doesn't say more but Dean knows there is more of that conversation that needs to happen.

"This place has so much security that technically it doesn't exist anymore. It cannot be found on any plane of existence. People passing by cannot see it and demons and angels cannot access it. Only the four of us can get in and out and it can only be done by flying," Gabriel says to avoid a moment between Dean and Castiel. "Don't try going out of the door. Imagine Beetlejuice. Only worse."

"So what are we supposed to do? Hang around here forever?" Dean asks.

"No, of course not. There is no way that you two idiots are ever going to be strong enough without fighting a helluva lot. There are still creatures out there. Though Sam, if I was you, I would be careful about what demons you are smiting. Killing your own army isn't considered good."

It is way too much to take in especially now that the adrenaline over Castiel's near death has left Dean and he is more exhausted than ever. He just wants to get some sleep.

"Okay, we can sort all of this out in the morning. I really need some sleep," Dean complains. The other three of them look at him weird but it is Gabriel that understands.

"It couldn't have been good for him healing Castiel like that actually. You need to sleep. I will get supplies," Gabriel says cheerfully and then he is gone.

"Are you going to stay?" Dean asks Castiel hopefully. Sam shakes his head, thinking that Dean is obviously a girl, and heads up to bed.

"I don't think I can, Dean," Castiel says. "I don't think we are okay. What happens if I stay here tonight. We fornicate and then what will happen?"

"I want you here, Cas," Dean says. "I am a mess without you."

"Dean…" To stop Castiel's protest, Dean kisses him. It is desperate and needy but Dean doesn't care what Castiel thinks of him because damnit, he has said it now. He loves the stupid angel, no matter what else is going on. He knows they have sorted everything out but he thinks that if he has to spend one more night without him then he will go mad.

He almost feels like ordering Cas but then that will do him no good. He wants for Castiel to come willingly and so yeah, they will have sex tonight but then Dean can say all of the things that he meant to say without even using words. He wants to tell Castiel exactly how much he means to him. But there is one huge molehill that Dean wants to sort out first.

"What about Jimmy?" He has never really thought much about the poor man that is inside Castiel. All he really knows is that Jimmy is a religious man and he is married and he might object to someone using his body to have gay sex. It is almost like rape in a way and Dean doesn't want to go through with that.

"He is asleep. He sleeps most of the time. Being a vessel is overwhelming and I try to spare him most of that but he knows about our…" Castiel stumbles over the word. "But he is okay with it. He does not approve of it necessarily but he says he is okay."

"Okay then," Dean says and he slides Castiel's coat off his shoulders. It has always been the one thing that infuriated him about Castiel. He always needs to wear too much clothing even when they are in Lawrence and it is the middle of summer and he is so hot that he thinks he is going to explode in a pair of shorts and nothing. Castiel will sit there cool as a cucumber in all of his clothes.

Well, Castiel isn't cool now. All of the hesitation he had before is melting away with each kiss. He is aggressive and needy. Castiel bites sharp love bites all over Dean's neck, marking him. Everyone is going to see it. That is only going to be Gabriel and Sam and they both know now so it doesn't matter.

Castiel pushes him, hard against one of the walls. It is hard enough to knock the wind out of him for a second. Dean just has to be glad that he hadn't been thrown into one of the bookshelves. His back hurts but Castiel is pressing against him so that his whole body is covered by him. They are connected head to toe. Dean groans against Castiel's neck. He really doesn't expect he is going to last long at all.

"Cas," He groans. His fingertips are pulling on Castiel's jacket. It falls to the floor. Castiel is ripping through Dean's shirt. He liked that one but it is now in pieces on the floor. Castiel's hands, obsessively scratch patterns into Dean's skin which almost draw blood. God, he needs this. He kisses Castiel again, as Cas manages to undo Dean's trousers and damn, they are already on the ground. Cas's ruts against Dean even though he is still wearing most of his clothes.

He is so hard already. It isn't natural. God, Cas does so many things to him. He moans against Castiel. He doesn't care about Sam being only upstairs and he hasn't had the chance to fall asleep yet. He just thinks about the way that Castiel is working him without even having to touch him. Their bodies slot together like they fucking belong. One of Castiel's legs is between his thighs, joining them in so many ways and Dean thinks that he could just melt into Castiel. His body could dissolve into him and he wouldn't fucking care because this is beyond perfect.

Dean doesn't know how he does it but his fingers find Castiel's belt between their bodies. Castiel growls because Dean has interrupted his friction. Dean has to laugh at that because Castiel wants it so much. This was always what they were good at. Castiel's mouth is tracing around his nipples as Dean fumbles over his belt. It takes him way longer than it should but then it is hard to concentrate when Castiel is doing positively criminal things.

Then Castiel's trousers join his on the floor and Castiel is pressing up against him and Dean thinks that he could really come just like this. Pressed up against each other but he wants more.

"Cas, please fuck…" Dean begs but Castiel cuts him off.

"Don't say it," Castiel growls. "Or I won't be able to not to."

Dean had forgotten. Castiel places his mouth on his and is the one that quietens the other this time. Dean could tell Castiel to do whatever he wanted and Castiel would because he would have no other choice. He doesn't like taking away Castiel freewill like that but he knows that all Castiel is concerned about is that he will take Dean against this wall in a second if he tells him to. He won't care if he is hurting Dean because man, he isn't prepared for that. He will just do it. Dean shudders at the thought.

He settles for Castiel's hand around them both. His hand joins as they set a punishing rhythm. It is a race to the finish line only Dean is concerned that he isn't the one that comes first. But Castiel feels so hot against him. The angel is debauched and broken like this. He is all Dean's. God, he missed this. He missed Castiel so much. He couldn't believe how much he could just. He thought after he killed Sam, he would feel empty butt here is a whole another part of him for Castiel. And fucking hell, this is all that he wants. It is all that he can think about. Castiel moans and grinds his hips into Dean's so hard that he swears there are going to be cracks on the wall so hard.

It doesn't take long and then he is coming so hard it is unbelievable. Castiel isn't far behind him but he isn't aware of it. He just knows the hot feeling through his body. For a couple of blissful moments, there is nothing in his head at all. No thoughts. He can't think, only feel this good. Then like always it is gone and he is brought back to the reality of being trapped under Castiel against the wall.

His legs as weightless and weak. He cannot support himself but Castiel is determined to keep him upright and kisses him. Dean can barely respond because he is still coming down from his high. Castiel's hands are tracing the love marks that seem to be everywhere and Dean knows they need to move soon because there is come dripping down his leg but he doesn't mind that.

Sometime later, he is pressed into bed. Castiel is lying beside him, pressing kisses into his chest and yeah, it's been less than ten minutes and he is up for another go already but he doesn't think he can because Castiel is right. They have sex but they don't sort out their issues. They don't talk about things and this is why they ended up this way to begin with.

"I never really wanted to sleep with Lisa," Dean starts. He has to confess this all to Castiel. They need to sort this out. "I just needed someone to replace you. I couldn't. She was such a fucking poor substitute."

"I know," Castiel mutters. "I really thought I was falling. Zachariah played a trick on me that I did not know about. It is strange because now I am really am."

"I'm sorry," Dean says.

"No. I would always do it for you. If it is a choice between being an angel and being with you, I would always pick you. I thought you knew that."

"I know."

"I love you, Dean."

"I love you too."

He has got Castiel back. It is a shame that the world is ending around them.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**: I feel like I have failed. My streak of writing a new chapter everyday has been broken! But for some reason yesterday wouldn't let me put on a new document. It just went all white screen even after I deleted all of the other documents there. But I honestly did write this yesterday so I hope it counts. It isn't even that long because I wrote it after six hours of revision. There is nothing that can destroy creativity more than Land Law.

* * *

><p>"Where's our brothers?" Gabriel asks as he appears the next morning.<p>

Sam sighs. "You don't want to know."

Gabriel throws himself down on the couch with popcorn. Sam doesn't even wonder why he got that from. "Still at it then?" Gabriel has a lecherous grin. Sam never likes it when it is directed at him. It means that bad things are going to happen. Very, very bad things.

Sam just nods. He had been stupid enough to think to check on Dean when he hadn't come down for breakfast. Those were sorts of images that he never ever wanted to have ever again in his life. He needs therapy. A whole lot of therapy. He is happy for them, really. He just never wants to see it. Ever.

"If Dean can keep his freaky relationship with my little bro, it might just save the world," Gabriel says thoughtfully.

"Then we are all screwed," is Sam's reply before he vows to drown himself in alcohol.

Sam's only consolation should be that Dean isn't having much of a fun time either. Sure it all had been going well. Too well, he should have realised because there is always a catch with these things isn't there? He should have expected for the other shoe to drop. He has Cas back and Cas wants him and everything should be great.

Only it has been less than twelve hours and everything is messed up. It had been a great night. There had been a lot of sex. Then they had woken up and in typical fashion of theirs, they had proceeded to have even more sex. Dean isn't complaining about that because man, does he like sex. Especially sex with Castiel. He couldn't believe he has been without it for so long. That isn't the problem though that happens.

Sam shows up right in the middle of when Dean allows Cas to fuck him and yeah, that is embarrassment beyond anything else but Dean had been so involved with where exactly Castiel had his hands rather than his brother. It would be awkward later and he would never here the end of it about pitching but that isn't what got Dean's knickers in twist.

No. It happens when Castiel is blowing Dean. Castiel has such a pretty mouth and Dean cannot help but stare at him. He has to stuff Castiel's tie in his mouth to stop him sprouting out with all this mushy garbage like "please, stay with me forever," "I can't imagine my life without you" and "if you ever leave me again, I think I will die." Dean doesn't say these things because unlike Sam, he hadn't been born with ovaries. Instead, he bites his mouth shut and enjoys the hot wetness of Castiel's mouth.

Then there is this sound of thunder through the room and everything goes white and not in that good way that suggests that he has just had a spectacular orgasm. He is suddenly in a lot of pain. Castiel is beside him immediately but Dean cannot even see him. His vision blurs and he is out of the count in a second.

He wakes up sometime later. He is still in pain but he cannot work out exactly where the pain is coming from. It just hurts so much. He can't open his eyes because there is just a blinding light. He wants to scream but his voice doesn't work.

There is a hand on his head. It is cold and comforting. "Please Dean, stop screaming. You are really hurting your brother."

Castiel's voice is like a breeze on a hot summer's day. The more he focuses on it, the more the pain goes away until it is only located on his back and it is bearable. The light fades from his eyes and he can see again. He can see Castiel looking at him concerned. Dean feels immediately bad for making him worry, forgetting about his own pain. He tries to sit up but his back is really heavy for some reason.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Deano," a voice says. Dean turns his head and Gabriel is standing over him. He looks concerned too and that is enough for Dean to make him think that the is seriously ill. Gabriel wouldn't care if Dean was being attacked by demons and there was no chance of escape. The uncharacteristic kindness sets Dean off more than the pain before.

"What is going on?" Dean asks. His voice is hoarse. Maybe he has been screaming for a while now.

"Let's just say, you have seen the light," Gabriel says.

Castiel rolls his eyes at his brother. Another uncharacteristic movement. Dean is amazed or he would be if he isn't annoyed.

"What Gabriel means to say is that you have obtained your Grace," Castiel explains. Like it is that simple. Like there are no more questions than that.

"Grace? As in like what you guys have?" Dean asks. Yeah, his life is seriously, beyond messed up. Couldn't he go back to the part where he was having hot sex with an angel?

"Yes, you don't think they would let you rule all of heaven without it. You can't even enter it in that meat suit of yours without being dead. Your body is nothing more than a vessel to you now," Gabriel says.

"You might want to learn how to control that by the way," Sam interrupts. Dean hadn't noticed that Sam was there but he remembers that Castiel mentioned him. Sam has a towel pressed to his ears. It looks like he had been bleeding. Of course, the ruler of hell wouldn't be able to see his true form, Dean thinks bitterly. Things have just got weirder.

"Oh that isn't even the best bit yet," Gabriel says. "Sit up if you can."

Dean manages to pull himself up but it take a lot more effort than it should. His back is throbbing and heavy and it isn't until he has sat up that he realises what is wrong. He has freaking wings! Growing out of his back. Like a bloody angel.

"What the hell?" He complains and is immediately chastises by everyone in the room.

"I would quit the blasphemy now if I were you, Dean," Sam says.

"Goddammit," Dean says for good measure but it feels wrong coming from off his tongue.

"Dean," Castiel says irritably. "This is a great gift."

Dean doesn't want to agree but when it the room with two angels who can smite his ass or at least one angel who can withhold sex, he isn't going to say anything. He looks at Castiel for a second and his eyes blur and suddenly he isn't seeing Castiel anymore. He is seeing something so much more beautiful. There is just this intense light of love and trust. It is gold and red and white. Dean instinctively wants to get closer but he knows, somewhere in his head, he knows that that version of Castiel does reside on this plain. He brings his sight back into the real world. It is disorienting.

"I know and I am going to rule heaven and save the world. This is just going to take a lot of getting used to," Dean complains. "First explain to me how you guys hide your wings."

Gabriel and Castiel share sheepish looks. "Well about that…" Gabriel starts.

"You are unable to," Castiel explains. "It will be many years before you will be able to fold them into your Grace."

"You mean I am stuck like this? I can't go outside!"

"In their defence, you couldn't anyway. That is why we are hiding out here," Sam puts in.

"It is a good thing too because this sort of thing would have had the angels knocking on your doorstep in a minute," Gabriel says. He eating another chocolate bar. It seems like he is determined to contract an angelic version of diabetes and if it isn't possible, Dean will make sure it is. He is sure that it will be somewhere amongst the new load of angelic powers that he has.

"So apart from the wings, the angels on my ass and the fact I can't see properly, are there any other joys that I should expect?" Dean demands.

"I should hope that there are no other angels on your ass, Dean," Castiel complains and with that the other three people in the room burst out laughing so hard. Dean forgets to complain after that.

To say that Dean doesn't like the strange new powers is a lie. He likes some of them, like now he can get Gabriel to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants with just telling him. It doesn't work on Sam though and Dean really wished it did just so that he could tell Sam to stop pulling his bitch faces. He can also see right through Sam now. He can tell in a second what Sam is thinking. He gets bored of that quite quickly. He can read Castiel too. Castiel thoughts are surprisingly graphic and Dean cannot read him for more than a couple of minutes before the desperate desire to carry out what Castiel wants to do, whether or not Gabriel and Sam are in the room or not.

For the most part though it does suck. He cannot walk and he can barely sit on his own. His wings, though there, the thick white feathers a constant reminder of that, he cannot fly either. His body hadn't been built for that. Most angel's wings are tied to their Grace but Dean's is tied to his Grace and his body so he actually has to do exercises to make his body strong in the ways that it needs to be strong.

Then are the other things. He feels a lot weaker even though he is getting stronger but simple human things seem impossible to him and after the first night he realises, he doesn't need sleep anymore. He doesn't need to eat anymore or use the bathroom and like Castiel if he cannot be bothered to get up and get cleaned, he can just magically do it. It seems that cleanliness is next to godliness after all.

"Do you know when this is going to get better?" Dean demands from Castiel on night. He cannot get out of bed, unaided and it is really driving him up the wall. It has really put a dampener on his sex life. He has gone from an active player to literally just lying back and thinking of England.

"You will get stronger, Dean," Castiel murmurs. "You will learn that having wings is not such a terrible burden."

"I wish I could believe you."

"Have faith," Castiel replies. "Our Father has given you a great blessing."


	7. Chapter 7

It takes over two weeks but Dean is strong enough to manage most things on his own. It will take months before Sam will stop taking the piss out of him though and that is probably worse. Only once Dean can walk himself, there is a whole another problem. He doesn't take into account that there are huge things strapped to his back. He knocks into everything. He cannot sit properly on anything that has a back to it and it creates tension between the four of them.

Gabriel spends a lot of time somewhere else. Dean and Sam don't know where but they don't ask. All they know is that he comes back with a ridiculous amount of junk food which he doesn't share. He isn't the only one who flees at the first opportunity. Castiel leaves when he can. He makes excuses because the world is ending but it still annoys Dean more than anything else.

It is one of those angel-less mornings. Dean has managed to bring himself downstairs for breakfast. He cannot wait for the day that he would be able to just fly down the stairs. Only his wings are not strong enough and Jimmy's stairwell isn't large enough for him to open his wings at full length. He knows how though why angels don't walk everywhere.

Sam is reading the newspaper while eating Lucky Charms. There is no good news of course. Not a single bit. Thousands of people are dying out there and they are just sat inside, playing the dysfunctional family. The world could be on fire out there and they wouldn't know, trapped in their own little bubble and safe. It isn't fair.

"Anything new?" Dean asks. He doesn't want to know. He doesn't want to know about the floods that have destroyed central Asia, the wars that are tearing Europe apart of the diseases that have wiped out entire African countries. He is asking because it is a sort of apology for his behaviour over the couple of days. He has been a dick to Sam and he knows that it isn't his fault.

"The world is ending, Dean," Sam says with a sigh. He closes the newspaper and places it on the table and looks at Dean. "Do you think we can end this?"

"I still don't believe that I am supposed to lead Heaven and you are going to lead Hell but I have wings and Grace and all of this strange things inside of me," Dean explains. "It is hard to ignore. The angels seem to think that we are important."

"But what if we succeed?" Sam asks. It is not an eventuality Dean has ever thought of before. He still isn't strong enough to carry his own weight on his newly grown wings. He doesn't think that he is strong enough to rule the armies of Heaven.

"We will come to that when we have to," Dean replies as a cop out. The future is damning for both of them really. Sam is going back to hell and it is likely that Dean will never see him again once he is condemned to live up in Heaven.

Sam gives Dean a bitch face. Dean doesn't even flinch under it. He does have a lot of strange powers now and he likes to use them against Sam at any opportunity. Before Dean can think of some really good pranks, the two angels just appear in the room. The dinning-room is quite large but it doesn't stop Castiel from appearing right in Dean's space. Dean hasn't seen Castiel in three days. He doesn't know if he wants to punch him or kiss him. Punching him is winning out just because he knows that he will be able to do it now without hurting himself.

"Dean, you are out of bed," Castiel states simply.

"Yeah, lying in bed isn't as fun on my own," Dean says bitterly back. He knows he shouldn't feel like this. He is acting like the abandoned girlfriend. He isn't pouting. Honestly.

"I am sorry, Dean," Castiel replies. "There is something that I have been doing." Dean raises his eyebrows. Castiel looks pleased with himself and then places two fingers on Dean's forehead and then they are gone.

They are in a place that Dean has never seen before. It is something from a sci-fi show, no better than that it looks like a bat cave from a Marvel comic. It is inside a cave but there are platforms and consoles and bloody hell, a sports car. Not as good as the Impala of course. The main area where Castiel and Dean are standing is a dark dirty orange colour and in the middle, silhouetted like it had been in the night's sky, a huge pair of angel wings.

"I did some research," Castiel says. "I hope it is okay."

"Okay? This is amazing," Dean says. He walks over to one of the main computers. It is like nothing that he has ever seen. There are at least ten screens, in two rows. Dean sees that there are two lists on either side. One for him and one for Sam. "What is this?"

"Highlights of supernatural phenomena that can be linked to either angels or demons. We can locate the angels and the demons then we can stop their activities. You can do so with words alone," Castiel says. "We will have to get you stronger of course."

"Most of these things haven't happen yet," Dean says, confused.

"No, I have traced the patterns of the activities of both angels and demons and were able to predict their future plans," Castiel says rather smugly. "It has been difficult tracing their movements but I managed it."

"Well done you," Dean says. He still hasn't forgiven him for spending so much time away though. Sam and Gabriel appear behind them. Sam lets out a low whistle. He immediately goes to the computer like a fangirl. Dean wishes he could share his enthusiasm. Dean doesn't feel strong enough to face the world yet.

"I was thinking that this would be a perfect place to practice your flying," Castiel suggests. Dean looks at the huge drops from the platforms and how there doesn't seem to be a bottom to this cave. He gulps. He so doesn't agree but he trust Castiel with this life.

"Come on Sammy," Gabriel says, placing one hand on Sam's back. "We have things that we have to do."

Sam doesn't have the chance to reply before they are out of there. Sam will never get used to the stomach clenching experience that is angel flight. It is disorienting to find himself in over a week, outside. He jumps when he hears the bomb falling near him.

"Don't worry, you are safe," Gabriel tells him. Sam looks around him. Even though they are outside, there are no people. There are just bombs and fires and the sounds of gunshots. It is raining heavily but it does nothing to help. Sam immediately wants to seek shelter but there is nowhere to go. Everything has been destroyed.

"Where are we?" He asks Gabriel. It is no place he has been before, he thinks. He doesn't think that he would recognise it if he did. No place should ever look like this.

"Nuremberg, Germany," Gabriel replies. He grabs Sam's arm and pulls him out from the centre of the place. They would be target.

"What are we doing here?" Sam questions. If he didn't know better, he would think that Gabriel is trying to get him killed.

"I told you we have things to do, people to see," Gabriel explains. Sam gives him a bitch face. Gabriel shrugs. "Okay, if you have to know, we are going after War."

"War?"

"As in the horseman. We want to stop this war don't you? If you can get War to do what you want then it will be one less thing that you have to worry about when you open your morning newspaper."

"And how exactly do I do that?"

"You are his boss," Gabriel shrugs again. "Tell him no."

As if it is that simple, Sam thinks. He cannot even stop himself from getting soaking wet. At least Dean has wings and Grace. What does Sam have except for his anger.

"Bitte helfen Sie mir," a little voice comes from behind him. There is a little girl tugging on the sleeve of his sodden jacket. She is dressed in a dress that is torn and bloody. She doesn't look to be hurt herself but she is distressed.

"Ist alles in Ordnung?" Gabriel asks. She doesn't reply to him. She just starts crying and clutching onto Sam so tight, even he cannot get her off with his strength. Sam doesn't speak German. He cannot console her. He cannot tell her it is going to be alright but then he is sure that he wouldn't be able to tell her so in German.

Without warning, the place is surrounded by demons. The little girl screams and tries to bury herself into Sam. Gabriel curses. There are thirty or maybe forty demons. Even he might struggle getting out of this one. There is no Holy Oil in sight though and so Gabriel could fly off.

All of the demons have guns, surprisingly, they are not pointed at Sam and they are not pointed at Gabriel but at the little girl. Sam pulls her close against him.

"Give her to us and we will let you go," one of the demons demands. He is about as tall as Sam is but a lot broader. He speaks in English but with a heavy German accent.

"No," Sam shouts back. The rain is still pouring down on them and even though the demons are only six feet or more from them, it is hard to hear the exchange of conversation over the pounding of the rain. "You cannot touch her!"

"We will have her whether or not you give us permission," another demons says. "You are no one." She is female and young. She probably had her whole life ahead of her. Sam faintly hears the little girl whisper "mutti" under her breath and Sam doesn't need to know German to know that the bitch has possessed the little girl's mother. Sam feels rage building up inside him and it is all that he needs to start ganking the sons of bitches.

"Get out of those people now," Sam demands. "Before I send you all back to hell."

"I would like to see you try," another demon mutters. Clearly not confident with his abilities. Sam isn't that confident himself but he is more than willing to give it a go for the little girl.

Sam holds his hand out. He has vague memories of doing it before. He thinks about how much pain and suffering that the demons have caused. He thinks about the little girl and her mother. Sam has no doubt that demon bitch would kill the girl herself and make sure the poor girl that she is possessing would be conscious the whole time just so she can feel the blood of her daughter and hear her last screams. It makes Sam feel sick and it gives him enough power to start drawing them out.

It has been a long time since he has attempted an exorcism like this and he hasn't done so since he got his soul back. It is risking and he can feel a throbbing behind his eyes which isn't a good sign. He tries though and one by one, the demons start coughing themselves out like they are being sick. Soon they all start to fall to the floor. The demons are gone from them. He keeps going until there is only one left, the women and the girl's mother. His nose is bleeding and the pounding in his skull is almost unbearable. He knows that if he tries to take the women he will pass out or worse but Gabriel is beside him and for some stupid reason, he trusts the archangel to have his back.

She snarls at him and it takes Sam slightly off guard which gives her the chance to fire the gun she is holding. It hits the girl with an expert shot. Sam is splattered with her blood and filled with the grief that he has failed her. He summons the last of his powers and sends the bitch where she belongs, back in hell. He only wishes he could kill them permanently. He makes a owe that if he does manage to make it as ruler of hell or whatever, she will be the first to die.

He doesn't think much after that though. He collapses onto the floor, clutching onto the dead girl's body.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N**: I swear there was going to be a plot here. But then I sort of got carried away so try to find the plot if you dare. It shall be returning in the next chapter. I think.

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><p>Dean for all of his faults, is a natural when it comes to flying. His wings aren't strong but they are new so he will let that one slide for now. He manages to go swooping through the air faster than he would ever be able to run. It isn't like flying in an aeroplane at all,, which he is glad of because he hates planes. There is nothing else like it. He is hovering, perhaps hundreds of feet above air in Castiel's weird bat cave thing and he knows that he could fall and die in any second but he trusts his wings to keep him safe.<p>

All sorts of things start rushing through his mind. He works out, mostly subconsciously, how to glide through strange stalicitite formations that block him from flying freely. He has no grace with this wings when he is on the ground. He will knock over everything but when he is flying, he is hyperaware of their distances from other objects. If he bashes his wing, it is going to hurt then he might fall to his death. He takes it all into consideration.

Castiel is out there and flying with him. His wings are stronger and work through the air faster than Dean can manage. He feels like a little kid trying to keep up but Castiel is just showing off. It won't be long before Dean is out striping him easily. His wings are a lot larger than Castiel's but Castiel's are merely tied to his Grace. He tells Dean quite often that if they were flying in their true forms, Castiel would win.

Castiel's wings are deep black. Castiel doesn't mention this but Dean can tell it isn't a source of pride for him. Angel wings are supposed to be white and dean knows from what Castiel isn't saying that it is something to do with his Fall. It is Dean's fault that his wings are this way. Dean's wings are pure white. It is almost ironic.

He gets tired after a while and it hurts just his legs would have it her managed to run a marathon. He aches in places that he cannot reach with he hands and after a while, he gives up and has Castiel transport him back to the house so he can curl up on his bed. He wants to sleep but he knows that he can't anymore.

"Are you okay?" Castiel murmurs into Dean's neck. Dean isn't one to usually moan about these sorts of things because he isn't a wimp but the new sensations of pain in his wings is more intense than just mere muscle pain and he doesn't know exactly how to deal with it. He just groans against Castiel.

"'S hurts," he replies.

"You were attempting to fly to quickly for your first fly," Castiel scowls lightly. "Perhaps I can do something to alleviate some of the pain."

Castiel gently unfurls Dean's right wing. Dean doesn't have much option but to allow it to happen though it hurts to have the wing stretched out in such a way and Dean curses Castiel and his god. His wing is too big to lie comfortable on the bed and because Dean doesn't have the strength, it flops, idly on the floor even though the angle isn't comfortable. Castiel hums lightly to himself, a strange human gestures.

Dean is getting bored because Castiel isn't doing anything until Castiel's fingers are slowly and lightly tracing the tips of his feathers. Dean shudders. The feeling is completely foreign. His brain sometimes struggles to process the sensations from limbs that weren't there when he was born. The gentle touch of Castiel's fingers confuses but comforts him at the same time. Dean tries to relax.

Castiel seems to know what he is doing. His fingers run deep through Dean's feathers, caressing the muscles underneath, just like he would if he was giving a back massage. Dean finds himself really enjoying it no matter how touchy feely it seems to be. Dean has never been the sort of person that would allow someone to touch him when it didn't involve sex. Speaking of seeing as their brothers were both MIA for the moment…

Dean moves slightly just enough so that he can kiss Castiel. He doesn't think he will ever get used to the feeling. It has become even more intense since he can read and feel Castiel's emotions as if they are his own. Being an angel or whatever Dean has become makes this so much more intimate. When Castiel tells him that he loves him, Dean knows that he means it. The strength of the love that Castiel gives him is so strong he can only hope that he can return half of what Castiel gives to him.

"Stop thinking, Dean," Castiel chastises. One of Castiel's hands is still gripped into his wing but the other one is stroking his face. He keeps forgetting that the reading mind thing goes both ways. He would think it rude, if he didn't spend most of his time doing it himself. To think that the angels have been able to do this all this time. It would have solved a lot of their problems if Castiel just told him what he is feeling, rather then letting him figure it out which is stupid idea.

"I said stop thinking," Castiel complains. Castiel climbs onto the bed, onto of Dean's back. "Or I will have to find a way to make you stop thinking."

"Oh? Is that promise?" Dean asks with a lecherous grin. He cannot kiss Castiel now. In fact, he is almost powerless, with Castiel's strong thighs straddling his waist, his hands gripping both of Dean's wings. With anyone else, Dean would freak out. He doesn't like being held down but he blames that on his experience in hell. Castiel, though he trust completely.

"Definitely," Castiel responds. He leans forward, pressing into Dean's wings awkwardly, so he can kiss the back of his neck. "You have no idea the sort of thing that I would like to do with you."

Dean shudders. Castiel might have been a virgin before Dean defiled him but he has one of the filthiest minds that Dean has ever met. "Yeah?" Dean gets out.

"Oh yes," Castiel replies. His hands pull hard some of the primary feathers. It is almost painful but just not enough for it to actual hurt. "Your wings are so white, perhaps we need to dirty them a little."

Dean groans. Castiel's fingers continue to run through his feathers. He feels his whole body react. Each nerve ending lighting up and every touch more intense. He arches into Castiel. He feels helpless lying on the bed and it has been so long since they had sex where he could participate fully that he doesn't want for it to be like this. He wants to make Castiel feel as good as Castiel makes him.

He sits up, forcing Castiel to slide off his back and down onto the bed. Castiel looks a little bit disgruntle about the change in position. He always knew that Castiel liked being dominant but this is ridiculously. Dean turns to face him and moves in like he is going to kiss him, but instead whispers against his mouth, "let me see your wings."

Castiel had hidden his wings the moment that they had finished flying. He isn't forced, like Dean to have them on show all of the time. Castiel is about to shake his head and tell Dean no but instead he lets them appear out of his body.

"I always thought of these, you know," Dean mutters. He buries his face into Castiel's feathers. It isn't like birds or even like his own. There is something otherworldly about them. They shouldn't be here, not like this. His wings belong, like he does, in heaven. He can smell that on them, more than any other part of him. The rest of Castiel is Jimmy Novak but his wings are pure him. Dean runs his nose through and just takes in the smell. He places gentle kisses and it is Castiel's turn to shudder against him. "I always remembered them from hell. It was my last memory of the pit. All I thought about for a long time was your wings."

Castiel says, "I love you," into Dean's shoulder. Dean ignores him. He knows Castiel loves him. He doesn't need to say it to make it true. Dean needs to show Castiel how much he means to him.

"You saved me. I never showed you how grateful I am for that," Dean continues. His hands find his way into Castiel's wings the way that Castiel's hands were in his. The feeling of the silk feels tremendous against his calloused fingers. Castiel shifts so that he is straddling Dean's lap. He needs to get closer to Dean. He needs Dean.

"Please," Castiel begs. He can feel Castiel's erection against his own. Dean kisses him.

"What do you want?" Dean asks.

"I… please, Dean."

Dean doesn't need to hear him say it. He just wanted to but perhaps hearing Castiel, breathless and unable to demand what he wants seems to be better than anything he could have said.

"Castiel, fuck me," Dean commends. Castiel's eyes open in shock. Dean has ordered him to do it. Just like he orders Gabriel to fetch him pie. Castiel has no choice but to obey now and Dean has to have faith that he has enough self-control not to just fuck Dean dry whilst under the command.

"Dean," Castiel begs again. He pushes Dean back but Dean makes sure he doesn't collapse onto the beg. It would trap his wings and hurt like hell if he does. Instead, he places his palms to the mattress so that he is propped up, still giving Castiel what he wants.

Castiel pulls down his trousers viciously, like an animal, more out of control then he has ever seen him and for a moment Dean really rejects what he is doing because he thinks that there is a possibility that Castiel will not agree with what they are doing. He isn't sure about Castiel consent but he looks into the angel's eyes and then he looks into his mind and he knows that Castiel wants this.

His trousers are off before he even knows it. Castiel is kissing him desperately as if he has just discovered that the moment he stops kissing he will die. Not that Dean is complaining. He would never complain about something like that.

Castiel's hands are everywhere. Dean doesn't think it possibly because the last time he checked he was sure that Castiel still only had the two but he can definitely feel them around his wings and his stomach and working between his ass cheeks. Dean is just overwhelmed with the sensation of Castile being everywhere and when he feels is wings collide and then connect with Castiel's wings, he knows that he has lost it. He is so hard and so ready, he thinks that he could just come and keep coming like this forever.

Dean arches his hips up as he becomes aware of one of Castiel's fingers gently opening him up. He has forgotten that this is the first time that he has allowed this to happen. They have talked about it. All of the freaking time but somehow they never manage to last long enough for it to actually happen. Now it is, Dean doesn't know what to think. He doesn't think he can think. The only thing he knows now is that he wants more of Castiel inside him now.

"Come on, Cas," he demands. He knows it isn't safe. He could say one thing and then Castiel would be forced to do something that could really hurt him. Possibly even kill him with the strength that the angel possesses and Dean cannot think of a better way out then that. Castiel is working more fingers inside him and he knows that he is ready.

"Inside me now," Dean commands and only moments later, Castiel is thrusting inside him. Dean lowers himself down, so he is basically sitting on Castiel's lap. He has the control now though Cas seems to be reluctant to let him take it. Cas's hips thrust up and into Dean and God does it hurt but it feels so good at the same time. Castiel's hands are gripped too tightly now into his wings. Dean has to grip Castiel's waist to stop him from going too quickly.

"God, you feel so good," Castiel groans. He thrusts again and damnit, Dean nearly comes with his cock trapped between their two bodies. Castiel actually taking the Lord's name in vain, hears a lot better than it should. He bites down into Cas's neck. He feels like his going to explode.

It doesn't take long. Castiel thrust into him and Dean moves his hips in time to Castiel. Castiel comes deep inside him and Dean can feel his orgasm through the connection that they share and he is following him.

It hits him so hard even though he is untouched that he actually blacks out. His vision blurs and he collapses against Castiel, unable to move or to think anything. He can just feel and he feels amazing. He is so blissful but exhausted.

A while later, Castiel cleans them up. Dean had somehow managed to get come in his own wings and he supposes that is what Castiel meant by dirtying them up. By the time that Dean has control over his facilities, Castiel is already dressed which confuses him because he would always be ready for another round.

"Our brothers are in trouble, We have to go now," is all Castiel says and it is all that he needs to say before Dean is on his feet.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N**: I know! It's been a whole damn week but my excuse is that I had a three hour exam yesterday in land law. I do have an exam in less than a week that I should also attempt to revise for but then I thought I should post instead. I will try to update more regularly.

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><p>When Sam wakes up, it isn't raining on his face and that has to be a good thing. He is still in Germany though and there is an archangel staring in his face.<p>

"We have to get moving, Sammy," Gabriel complains. "I am not carrying your moose form."

Sam lets out a groan. He remembers the little girl and the demons and everything else. He has to be glad that he is alive. He knows that is down to Gabriel more than any sort of miracle. He doesn't even have a headache like he expected. He is exhausted though and taking that number of demons was too much for him. He hadn't even managed to save the little girl. He felt like a failure.

"Come on," Gabriel enforces. So he might be short but he has archangel strength and helping Sam to his feet couldn't be that much of a problem for him. Sam feels like feeling him where to shove it but two people appear behind him.

"What is going on?" Dean demands. Sam had forgotten that they had just disappeared to halfway across the world without informing his brother of what he was doing. Dean doesn't look happy, he also looks cold seeing as because of the wings he can't wear any of his shirts anymore which is fine in Jimmy's house but in the middle of Europe isn't a great idea.

Gabriel tells him the plan and that doesn't make Dean any happier.

"And you thought that it would be a good idea to take my brother off on this stupid mission without me?" Dean asks. He looks like he is a minute away from smiting Gabriel. He could probably do that now or at least he would give it a very good go.

"We only have a small window of opportunity here," Gabriel explains. "And no offence but you aren't exactly ready to be fighting some of the bigwigs."

Dean looks torn between punching and pouting but instead he remembers that his brother's life is on the line and so takes the moral high ground instead. "I don't care. Sam is my brother and I think I have the right to know when you are sending him off on suicide missions."

"And what were you doing with my brother when this happened?"

Dean looks awkward and doesn't reply. They all know exactly what he was doing with Cas. Castiel opens his mouth to say something but then for once, he thinks better of it.

"Anyway, now you are here, you can carry the lump of your brother and then we can get somewhere a little bit more private," Gabriel continues.

Dean helps Sam up and, half carries Sam with one of his arms over his shoulder. Sam could probably manage to walk on his own but Dean seems to be happy that he can do anything to help his brother. The world seems to be ending around them. There isn't a building that they can find safety in because it is either crawling with demons or destroyed. There are very few humans around that are not already possessed.

Dean feels paranoid. His angel senses are a lot more sharp then his human one's ever were and when he looks at a demon he can see how they truly are. They look hideous and it makes the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. It isn't just the demons that look different though. Perspectives look different. It is like sitting in the same place for years and looking at something from a particular angle and then one day just getting up and looking at it from a different side. It confuses him. There is a difference in colour and texture of objects. He can see things that he never ever thought about before but now it is in his face and the worse thing is he can't just turn it off. His life is going to be like this from now on. He doesn't know whether or not he can just get used to it.

They manage to find some place that is a little bit sheltered. Sam needs to sleep but it isn't exactly the sort of place they could. Where they are used to be a shop of some sort. Sam can't work it out because almost everything inside has been destroyed. Dean can see the spirits of the people that used to be here. There is an old woman. She is muttering something to herself in Romania or some strange Eastern European language. She is just sweeping the floor but Dean is afraid of her even though she isn't exactly the most malevolent spirit and doesn't seem to have noticed their presence in the room. Castiel catches him staring at her but he doesn't say anything.

"So what are we going to do?" Dean asks.

"You are going to go home," Gabriel replies.

"What? No!" Dean protests immediately.

Gabriel groans and it might have included a curse about stupid humans. "You are not strong enough. How many more times do I have to say it? You go against them and they will kill you."

"I can go against you and win," Dean says with a smirk. Which is true because with a word he could make Gabriel kill himself.

"Those sorts of tricks won't work on the demons though. You haven't even tapped into your smiting potential. Dean, they can grab you by the wings and they can hurt you in ways that you cannot image. Until you can make those things disappear, you are so vulnerable."

Castiel nods in agreement and Dean just thinks that he is a traitor. Castiel had brought him to this place to begin with. It isn't right that he is being told to just go and sit on the bench. "So I just have to stay hidden until I am all grown up?"

"No. You can go against angels, that is fine. Just not demons and not a freaking horseman!" Gabriel complains.

"I am not leaving," Dean says. "Sam isn't exactly well enough to do this on his own."

"I am fine," Sam interjects.

"Like hell you are."

Gabriel uses Dean's brief distraction to come up behind him and grab one of his feathers. He pulls hard. Dean's knees collapse underneath him. How did that hurt so much?

"Yeah, now imagine how much pain a demon can inflict. Believe me, it hurts," Gabriel insists. He casts a look to Sam, who squirms.

Dean looks evilly at both of them. He isn't going to win this argument. It seems like none of them think that he is strong enough or capable enough. It hurts.

"Okay, fine," Dean says. "Send me back home." With a click of Gabriel's fingers, Dean is sent back. Castiel stays but only because they need all of the help that they can get. Castiel isn't happy with the way that his brother disrespects Dean. He knows that Dean has much more potential than they could ever think and they need to start giving him the chance to prove himself.

"Where do we find War?" Sam asks.

Gabriel looks sheepish. "Around?"

Sam gives him another bitch face. "That is helpful."

"He is here somewhere but he is very good at hiding. I was hoping that you could tap into some of that demon magic of yours and find out."

"Demon magic?" Sam mutters, shaking his head. "I don't have a horseman-locating system."

"Well, I guess we will have just have to look for him then."

Dean is bored. It has been five minutes and though usually, he has no problems occupying himself with Doctor Sexy or whatever Westerns they happen to be showing. It is a different matter when he knows that something fun is happening out there and he cannot be part of it.

"Not having any fun?" a voice asks him. Dean spins around shocked but he would know that accent anywhere.

"Crowley! How the hell did you manage to get here?"

Crowley is drinking scotch sitting on Jimmy's sofa like he belongs there. Dean wants to exorcism him. He wishes he had spiked the alcohol with Holy Water. Crowley doesn't look as good as he did the last time that they had met. Dean remembers that by not killing him, Crowley had pissed off Sam and probably has been hunted ever since. Dean doesn't feel sorry for him one bit.

"Followed you. Archangels are so arrogant, they forget things like simple tracking tokens," Crowley states and like he is performing a magic trick, pulls a small stone with a rune carved into it from behind Dean's ear. Dean isn't impressed. He can see what he really looks like now. He is dark and horrible. He is a monster and Dean doesn't really want him getting that close to him again.

Dean curses Gabriel under his breath and changes his tactic. "What are you doing here?"

"Thought I would get you alone without that big oaf of a brother," Crowley says. He gives Dean a suggestive grin that makes Dean want to barf. Demons are definitely not his thing.

"Get to the point." Patience isn't a skill Dean has acquired with being an angel.

"Your brother and angels are looking for the horseman, War. They aren't going to find him. What they are going to find are the hundred demons waiting for them while War is sunning himself in the south of France," Crowley explains. He says the word "France" like it is a swearword but then he is British.

"And why should I trust you?"

"I did save your life." Dean doesn't need reminding. It was only after Crowley did try to kill him but he isn't going to point that out right now.

"You are a demon. You don't just do things out of the kindness in your heart. Why are you telling me this? You didn't like my brother the last time he was leading the demon army."

"Call it self-survival. If I help him now, he isn't likely to start carving my ass later. He will owe me one and I might want to cash that in later when I have the chance," Crowley explains. It all sounds like a whole load of crap to Dean. There is something else that Crowley is planning. He can tell that the demons is lying to him and he isn't just relying on his human instincts of intuition. His angel powers are telling him so but this is his brother's and Castiel's life on the line and he isn't going to sit back and do nothing.

"What do I have to do?"

Sam shudders against the cold. His clothes are still soaking through and it is the dead of night. He is cold and tired. He doesn't complain though because both things are considered weaknesses to the angels who do not have to suffer through either of them. He hopes though that they find War soon or the only thing that Sam will be able to do is fall asleep in his arms.

Castiel has gone out on a scouting mission. They needed information and Gabriel seems less concerned than Dean about sending younger brothers into the line of fire. He is only gone an hour before he returns bloody with his trench coat in ribbons. Dean would probably consider that the silver lining, he has never really liked that coat. It is a good thing he isn't here Dean would probably freak because Castiel looks seriously hurt but still on his feet. Just about.

"What happened?" Sam asks, immediately. Gabriel stays beside him concerned and a little guilty but he doesn't say anything.

"I came across a nest of demons."

"And?"

"I destroyed it," Castiel says. He coughs blood, splattering it over his clothes and the floor.

"Are you okay?" Sam asks. Castiel just beckons Sam closer to him so that Castiel's mouth is right near Sam's ear. He is unsteady on his feet and his face is screwed tight with pain.

"Don't ask stupid questions," Castiel mutters and then passes out. Gabriel immediately goes to his brother's side and then starts swearing to himself.

"What's wrong?"

Gabriel pulls off Castiel's clothes until his chest is bare. Sam doesn't need to ask what is wrong. His skin is pale green. He has several, life-threatening stab wounds that if he was human he would be dead. Sam had almost forgotten that Castiel is well on his way to being human himself. Gabriel tries to heal him but nothing happens. Whatever the demons have infected him with, it is impervious to angel mojo.

"That isn't a good sign."


	10. Chapter 10

Dean follows Crowley through the teleport. He'd never tried it on his own before but he didn't want to admit that sort of weakness in front of a demon. It isn't as bad as he thought that it would be. It is a lot worse than being taken for the rid with someone else but Dean appears in the middle of the street of the middle of a no name town, feeling slightly tipsy.

"Where are we?" Dean asks, focussing intently on not slurring his words. Crowley smirks at him.

"The where isn't important. It is the who that we are going to see," Crowley insists. Dean doesn't like the sounds of that. Before Crowley can remark, he is already approaching the ramshackle house. Crowley throws an annoyed look in Dean's direction before he rings the doorbell.

The person who answers the door isn't a demon, Dean thinks. He is wearing a tatty dressing-gown over a vest and a pair of boxer shorts. He has a beard and messy brown hair. He looks at Crowley and then at Dean in shock and slams the door shut again. Crowley makes an annoyed noise and Dean remembers, belatedly, that most people might not react fondly when someone with wings comes to your door.

"Should I go?" Dean asks.

"I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't need you here," Crowley replies with the dumbass not said. He knocks on the door. The man opens the door again.

"You're Chuck Shirely," Crowley states. It isn't a question. "I am Crowley and you know who this is. I guess you were expecting us."

Chuck looks at both of them like he is hoping that they are just figments of their imaginations. Crowley places one of his hands on the door frame so that Chuck would not be able to just slam the door closed.

"No. This isn't real," Chuck mutters. He heads into the house to get away from them. Crowley follows him and for Chuck's safety Dean follows too.

"Oh but it is," Crowley says, overly pleased with himself. "You know why we are here. Can you please speed this little thing on and give us the information that we need and we can on our way? You can have this little freak out later."

Chuck ignores him. "You're Dean."

Dean looks at him confused. "How did you know my name?" Dean asks in return.

"That doesn't matter. Your brother is going to die. Maybe he is already dead and we are supposed to rescue him but we need the information first," Crowley puts in breaking up the moment.

Chuck shuffles through a pile of paper on his desk awkwardly aware that both Dean and Crowley are watching him. It takes a moment and a paper landslide before he finds what he wants. "Marseilles."

Crowley is about to leave for the South of France when Dean realises something. In his brain, dots connect together. "Chuck Shirely. He's a prophet?"

"A what?" Chuck asks.

"No time," Crowley insists. "Did I mention that there is an angel dying?" Crowley disappears.

"Fuck! What angel?" Dean demands to the thin air.

"Castiel," Chuck says like he doesn't even know how he knows that.

"Fuck. I have to go," Dean says and he disappears and follows to where Crowley has gone.

They are stood on a beach. It is a nice day though it is cold. The beach is deserted for as far as Dean can see apart from Crowley looking at him.

"What are we doing here?" Dean demands. "We have to save Cas!"

"I don't care about your pet angel," Crowley says. Dean really wants to smite him. "Nevertheless, if you want to see him alive again, you will come with me and get the cure from War. He has poisoned your little fuckbuddy with something that even you can't just heal away. And unless you are prepared to sell what is left of your soul to me to make him all better again. There is nothing that I can do either."

"Fuck," Dean repeats.

"Now angels shouldn't have such dirty mouths," Crowley says.

"Shut up," Dean says. "Where is War?"

"Around."

Dean gives Crowley a bitch face that would make Sam jealous. "That is helpful."

"Oh he knows that we are here. It won't be long before he finds us," Crowley says with a smirk. "And when I say us, I mean you."

"You son of a bitch!" Dean shouts but Crowley has already gone. There is another person in his place. He looks like a normal sort of guy. Not overly attractive but there is nothing wrong with him either. He has a look about him though and Dean can see that there is something about him. He isn't a demon. There is something completely otherworldly about him.

"Hello Dean," he says. His manner is calm and his accent is slightly French. There is a depth to his voice though. Something that Dean wouldn't be able to hear if he didn't have his angel hearing plugged in. Dean doesn't feel threatened by him. Not yet.

"Hello War," Dean replies. He tries to keep his voice steady but the wind is coming from the sea quite hard and it is cold. He thought being angel meant that he wouldn't be affected by the weather anymore. This just sucks.

War's eyes roam across his torso and settles on the hand print on Dean's arm. To be honest, Dean had forgotten about it. It isn't much of a mystery to him anymore. It is just like all of his other scars apart from it isn't. War knows exactly what it is. Dean had been blessed the moment that Castiel had touched him. He is protected. War looks scared.

"I am guessing that you want me to make your little angel all better?" War asks. His voice is filled with fake malice. War wishes him harm but he is amazed about him. Human souls just don't get to walk out of hell after all.

"And I believe that you are the one that can do it," Dean says. He doesn't have any weapons on him but he doesn't need to have. He could crush War, if only he knew how. If only he didn't need War.

"Why should I help you?"

Great, a typical demon response and Dean doesn't really have anything to offer. "I could spare you your life. Isn't that enough?"

War looks pissed off. It was the wrong thing to say but Dean is always full of the wrong things to say. So he doesn't say anything else and waits for War to make his demands. He expects the Horseman to demand thousands of souls, thousands of countries to destroy and a thousand year wars. Dean isn't going to give him anything like that. Dean is still a good person, despite killing his own brother. He isn't going to hurt anymore people.

"I want to talk to Sam," War requests. It isn't even a demand.

"You don't just want to have a nice chat, I take it."

"I want to follow him."

That isn't what Dean was expecting to hear. He was thinking that War wanted to kill Sam. Sam is supposed to be the next ruler of hell or rubbish like that and wasn't that supposed to be Gabriel's plan all along so why is War making this so difficult.

"What?"

"I want for it to be on my terms. Just me and your brother. I promise that I won't hurt him and if I do, you have permission to hunt me down and kill me," War propositions.

It sounds reasonable but he is a freaking Horseman and there is no such thing as reasonable with them. They are monsters. They kill people for kicks. There is no way that he actual means it. Does he? Dean doesn't want to trade his brother's life for his angel's. he has already done that once and even though he didn't make the wrong decision, this time it would be. He just knew it.

"How can I be sure of what you are saying?"

"Look around you. If I wanted you and your brother dead, I could have done it a thousand times already now. I have the human race running for all the guns. They want to kill each other in such an orderly fashion. I've been keeping the battles away from you. Until that angel put your brother in the middle of one."

"So you have nothing to do with that?"

War looks insulted. "I wasn't the one that told Gabriel to find me in Germany. He keeps forgetting that Castiel isn't the only angel that is falling."

Dean is struggling to keep up. "What you are saying is that someone else, other than you is trying to get Sam killed? And if you are not involved then, why would you have the cure to whatever has got Castiel?"

"I don't who is pulling all of the strings. They are my demons causing all the trouble and someone else is using them for their own purposes. I suspect angels but I know about as much as you do. Well, perhaps a little bit more because I do have a brain between my head and not between my legs," War states. He doesn't even say it like it is an insult so Dean doesn't even know if he should be offended or not. All he can think about is how Castiel is out there, a hundred miles away and he is hurt. Sam might be hurt too. He doesn't have time to stand here and argue about it.

"Okay, I agree but these are my terms. You don't hurt me, my brother, Castiel or Gabriel in anyway. You can have your little meeting alone but only because I trust my brother. I do not trust you."

"I accept," War says with a little bit of impatience. "Let's go to Germany."

The world spins and Dean almost falls over. He is standing in the ruins of the building that he was in before. Gabriel looks upset and Dean thinks that he might just be too late. Castiel's body is lying on the floor. Dean feels his chest hollow out. He doesn't want for it to be true.

He falls down next to Cas. He ignores Sam and Gabriel and War. There is nothing else in the world but Castiel now. The world could be destroyed around him and he wouldn't even notice. Castiel's eyes flicker open. Dean looks down at him and smiles. Cas weakly smiles back.

"Dean."

"It's okay. Don't speak. You are going to get better," Dean says. Then turns to War. "You are going to make him better right."

War throws him a bottle. "Give him a sip of that every hour on the hour for the next until the next nightfall and he will be fine."

Dean doesn't have a chance to say anything about it. He thought that there would be an instant cure. Castiel would be magically better because that is how things are supposed to be. Castiel could die before the potion could work. He can't complain though because he is suddenly not there. Him, Castiel and Gabriel are back on the beach where Dean had been with War before. War had mentioned that he wanted to talk to Sammy alone. Dean could only hope that Sam would be okay. He had another sick angel to look after though.

He teleports Castiel back to Jimmy's house. Castiel is in and out of consciousness. Dean knows that is it up to him to get Castiel to the next sunset.

Sam doesn't know where he is but if he had to guess, he would think that he was standing in the pits of hell. There is just a whole lot of blackness around him. He is standing on a mass of red webbing. It seems to be supporting his weight but there are gaping holes all over. One foot out of line and he will be falling into the nothingness. It all gives him a strange sensation. It feels at home.

"What do you want from me?" he demands from War. Here, he doesn't look like the man that Dean had seen on the beach. It is hard to see him exactly for what he is. There are a hundred souls circling around him like armour. It won't protect him though if Sam wants to kill him. War knows this. Sam is only just coming into his powers but he is strong enough.

"I want to follow you."

Sam stares at him in disbelief just like Dean had. There is no reason that the Horsemen would want to back someone who isn't supporting an apocalypse for all.

"What do you think happens when the world is destroyed?" Sam thinks that this is a rhetorical question so he doesn't answer. "We stop existing. Do you think War, Famine, Pestilence and Death can exist without the humans that feed them. Perhaps Death but he will outlive everything else. Even God."

"So the Horsemen of the apocalypse want to stop the apocalypse. Now I have heard it all," Sam says shaking his head. He isn't going to take this one on face value. Horsemen might not be demons but it doesn't mean that he has to trust them.

"You have to believe it. I place myself under your command. Tell me to do something."

"Stop the war in Europe and take all your demons out," Sam demands, thinking big, knowing that War wouldn't follow through with it.

"Done."

Sam is shocked. Like really shocked. "You've done it?"

"Yep, they are signing peace treaties as we speak. I will stop them all, for you as long as you allow my attention to go where it belongs."

"And where is that?"

"To Heaven."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Happy Supernatural Day! Can't wait for the epicness tonight (or rather tomorrow morning for me!) Thought I would just drop a chapter in here for you guys. Not much happens in terms of big end of the world stuff. That is supposed to happen tomorrow anyway. If the world does end, it's been fun :D

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><p>Dean has never been excused of being a caring man. Most people who meet him immediately judge him. He has a caraway sort of attitude which isn't typical for someone who would look after another. Dean often gets accused of being selfish, impatient and insensitive. That is only by the people who don't know him. Sam knows this very well of course, because Dean had been raising Sam from the age of four. Anyone who says that Dean isn't a caring man, doesn't know Dean.<p>

It explains then why Gabriel is staring at Dean like he has grown a second head as well as the wings. Gabriel doesn't understand that side of Dean. He might be able to just gaze into his soul whenever he feels like it, he might have known Dean's destiny before even the first two cells of Dean's great, great grandparents were created but he doesn't get this.

Dean is sat at Castiel's bedside and has done so since they arrived back in Pontiac, Illinois after their little road trip across Europe. Castiel isn't in good shape and Dean is using his not needing to sleep ability to keep a constant vigil over Castiel's side. He makes sure that Castiel has everything that he needs. It is almost sickening to Gabriel. There is only so much cooing that he can stand and it only has been three hours.

Dean is making embarrassing coaxing voices to Castiel who is thankfully asleep because Gabriel is sure that he would glad go to his grave before he would hear those noises again. Gabriel isn't going to say anything though because the last couple of times Castiel has been awake he has been screaming in agony and that is much worse than any baby noise that Dean can make. The potion that was supplied to them by War seems to be making things worse. Perhaps it does need to get worse before it can get better. Gabriel hopes so.

Sam returns a little while longer. Dean finally takes his eyes of Castiel, just for a moment to make sure that his brother is okay. Sam has no obvious injuries, unlike Castiel who seems to be bleeding everywhere. Dean continues staring at Castiel but he still speak to Sam.

"What did he want?" Dean asks Sam. Sam walks over and looks at Castiel sympathetically. He is just glad that hadn't been Dean.

"To stop the apocalypse," Sam says. "Apparently all the Horsemen do, apart from death."

"The Horsemen of the apocalypse want to stop the apocalypse?" Dean asks confused.

"Yeah, that was what I said," Sam replies. He doesn't believe what is happening. He leaves the room and turns on the tv in the den. A news channel comes up. There is no need for them to watch anything else anymore. There is peace throughout the globe. Sam can barely believe his ears.

"It seems like War really does mean what he says," Gabriel says coming up behind him. Sam doesn't even react. "What's up, Sammy boy?" Sam looks like a child and he isn't going to talk. "Come one, once in a life time opportunity. I am offering to let you talk about your girly feelings."

"You sound like Dean," Sam remarks clearly avoiding the issue.

"Well, maybe he is rubbing off on me," Gabriel pauses and reconsiders his words. "But not in the way that he rubs off on Cas."

Sam pulls a face for the imagery. "Thanks, just when I thought that I didn't need more therapy."

"Sam, tell me what is wrong," Gabriel says seriously. Sam keeps forgetting that Gabriel is an archangel, a falling archangel. He is about compassion and justice. It is hard to see it through the sugar and the tricks. Sam, like Gabriel needs to learn not to take people on face value.

"How am I supposed to do this, Gabe?" Sam asks just as Gabriel mouths the word "Gabe" but says nothing else on it. "I am supposed to rule hell and all these demons seem to want to follow me. Am I evil?"

"You are asking the wrong person," Gabriel replies. He looks uncomfortable like he is remembering the pain that Sam had put him through. He isn't the sort of angel who can just forgive and forget these sort of things. He will always remember the pain and the look in Sam's eyes. Sometimes he can look at the hunter and see that person even though his soul is firmly in place.

"I am sorry," Sam says. It isn't something that Gabriel hasn't heard before.

"Doesn't matter," he lies immediately. "Just you remember how bad you feel now, moose and you will do alright. Don't forget what it is to be human and to care about whether or not you are hurting people."

Sam thinks about it for a while. It is what separates him from his soulless counter-part at least. He doesn't want to hurt anyone again unless they really deserved it.

"How is Castiel doing?" Sam asks for a change of topic and for once Gabriel doesn't point it out.

"Don't really know. Dean won't let me near him," Gabriel sighs.

"That sounds like him," Sam laughs. "He has a protective streak a mile thick."

"Huh," is all that Gabriel has to day.

If Sam had asked Dean how Castiel was all Sam would have got for a reply would have been a jumble of swear would that would have made Satan himself blush. Dean doesn't care about a lot of people and everyone that he cares about leaves. Castiel is his exception. He is not going to let Castiel leave him and he swears that he is going to kill every single demon that there is. Gabriel isn't going to doubt his strength ever again. There is no way he is going to be sat on the benches again.

Castiel doesn't stay awake for a couple of minutes at a time and these minutes are like torture to Dean. He canot bear to see Castiel in pain. The wounds are deep and vicious and Dean wishes that there could be something, anything that he could do to make it all go away. He thinks for a while that he would happily sell his soul to Crowley to never have to hear Castiel scream like that again. Only he thinks that if he sees Crowley, he will kill him before he ever has the chance to make a deal.

Dean gets him water and blankets. He tries to bandage up the wounds but that just makes him worse. He sings to Cas though if at any point, someone were to tell him that he did that, he would have denied it. He only knows rock songs however, it isn't like he is singing 80's power ballads. Dean thinks he will do anything to make Castiel better.

"Come on, Cas," he murmurs. Castiel is awake. Dean has to wake him to make sure that he swallows the potion. He isn't screaming this time but he is in a lot of pain. It is killing him. "Come on, Cas. You can't die on me. Forever. That what this deal is." Dean's mind isn't working clearly otherwise he wouldn't say what he is going to do next. "Marry me."

Castiel, bless his soul.. Grace, whatever, looks up at Dean confused. He thinks that Dean is the one that has lost it. "What?" Castiel manages to get out.

"Marry me. I don't want to be without you. I want for this to be forever. Heaven and Hell be damned. I love you so much that I never thought it was possible I could ever love one person. I think it I ever lost you then I wouldn't be able to live. You complete me, you annoy the hell out of me, you know when you push me. I want to be married to you."

Castiel doesn't say anything for a very long moment but it looks like there are tears in his eyes. "Of course, Dean. I will marry you," Castiel replies. Dean wants to kiss Castiel senseless but he is still hurt so Dean just settles with kissing Castiel on the forehead and allowing him to fall back to sleep.

"Congratulations," Gabriel says when Dean makes it downstairs. Dean doesn't even have to open his mouth. Gabriel knows. Sam looks between the two of them obviously not sharing the good news.

"What's going on?"

"Me and Cas are going to get married!" Dean exclaims. He feels like a 20s something year old woman but he doesn't care. It is one of the single best things that has ever happened to him. He's not the sort of person who thinks long term, he doesn't even know if he has a long term but he knows that he wants to Castiel to be a permanent part of his future.

Sam doesn't know what to say. It is a little bit of a shock even though he has seen Dean and Cas together and they are perfect. Sam doesn't think Dean would ever be able to find someone like Castiel. He just doesn't think that this is the right time for them to start committing their lives to each other because after all the world could end tomorrow.

"That's great," Sam says without enthusiasm. Dean's face fell. Even Gabriel was more happy about them getting hitched.

"What's wrong, Sam?" Dean demands immediately.

"I'll just go check on Castiel," Gabriel says, excusing himself from the argument.

"Are you sure that you are doing the right thing? It is all a bit sudden," Sam protests. He doesn't point out that he never expected Dean to get married ever. Dean isn't the type. He should probably think that Castiel must be really special if Dean is actually thinking about settling with just sleeping with one person – a male person at that- for the rest of his life. Only it has been a really long day. Sam is still exhausted from exorcising the demons and so his brain isn't thinking straight at the moment.

"Please, Sam. Just be happy for us," Dean begs. He sounds so open and genuine. Sam cannot remember Dean ever being this unguarded. He should be happy. "I don't want to this to get between us. I love Cas and it isn't like we are going to get married tomorrow. Hell, I don't even know what the angel policy is on marriage. Can we just leave all that for another day? Please."

"Sure," then for the second time that night, Sam changes the topic. "What are we going to do about Gabriel?"

"What do you mean?"

"Castiel isn't the only angel in the house that is falling. I just don't think that Gabriel realises it. He made a big mistake in taking us to Germany. It nearly got Castiel killed," Sam explains.

"Yeah. I guess War told you."

"Any chance that it isn't true."

Dean shakes his head because he knows it. He can feel it when he looks at Gabriel. There is something slipping inside of him. It is the same sort of feeling that Dean gets from Castiel only with Cas it is like a slowly ebbing tide. With Gabriel, it is a supernova.

"We are going to have to talk to him," Dean says.

"Good luck," Sam replies with a smirk.

"Why do I have to do it?" Dean protests.

"You are the one with all the angel love guru crap," Sam smirks. Then he adds more seriously, "He doesn't exactly like me."

"Fine, I'll talk to him. Hey, hopefully, I will develop some angel mojo healing powers before I have to," Dean says.

"Good luck with that. I'm going to bed," Sam says and he leaves. Dean is left on his own in the room for a bit. He just wants to think. Which is usually a dangerous occupation when your name is Dean Winchester.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** So this is the second to last chapter! Still aiming for thirteen of these things. Trying to wrap the story up but to be honest, I have no idea where this is going. The end of season six really knocked me for six. But I so have a story plan for that! Anyway, it is all going to come together seamlessly. Or at least I hope so.

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><p>Dean never ends up having that conversation with Gabriel. Sam wakes up the following morning to find the three of them gone. He searches through the house but there is no sign of them. There is no sign of a struggle. They just aren't there anymore. Sam really hopes that they are okay but he has no way that he can find them. He isn't going to sit on his ass though. He knows that he still has a job to do.<p>

Stopping the wars wasn't all that his last conversation with a Horseman achieved. Sam hates how well he seems to be able to control the demons and get them to do exactly what he wants. He supposes he used to be a lawyer. It had been part of the job description when he didn't have a soul. He hopes that he isn't going down that route again.

He disappears. He has done it a hundred times before. That had been without his soul. Things seemed so much easy then. Gabriel had said once that Sam's powers would be stronger now that he could feel the hate that made him stronger. Only he doesn't think like that. Mostly he feels weaker. He can see how Dean has been progressing. Dean is still weak because his wings make him vulnerable but he is more powerful than he has ever been. Sam still feels mostly human. He has to remember though, Dean is going to Heaven and marry an angel, Sam is doomed for Hell.

He appears in front of War. He is back in hell but this looks more like a Conference Room rather than a pit of torture. It had been one of Sam's conditions. He wants to be somewhere he feels comfortable. It will make him feel a little more confident and he needs that, he really does when faced with a whole heap load of high level demons.

He's dressed in a smart suit, probably cost more than a freaking car. He doesn't remember putting it on but then it doesn't matter. The suit is just consequential as far as he is concerned. There are jugs of water on the table with glasses at every seat. There is a high definition on the wall behind him. It looks like he is about to give a business meeting. Sam would laugh at the absurdity of it all. Well, he would have done but Dean is in trouble and there is no reason to laugh.

War is the first monster to enter. Sam doesn't know the proper form of address for the group of demons, horsemen and alphas that are going to be collecting into the room. Calling them monsters when they are actually going to help him seems to be against the whole point of it all. No one tells him so he doesn't say anything.

War looks the same as he did when he appeared to Dean. It seems that their real forms seem to be shielded when in this part of hell. He is grateful for it because War looks human enough not to be threatening, not that he was actually threatening Sam before. War shakes his hand and suddenly becomes Sam's sectary explaining the minutes for the meeting and exactly who is going to be arriving and what they want exactly from Sam. It is all a little bit overwhelming but War assures them that they are all on his side.

The next person to walk through the door is Alastair. Sam's skin crawls when he opens his mouth to speak. He is a quite unexceptional kind of man but when he talks, it is like crawling over broken glass. His voice is soft but vicious. He is sure that the man could torture people just by talking to them. Lucky he is a man of few words.

Then come in Famine and Pestilence. They both appear to be elderly men. They don't seem to be the strongest or the most powerful creatures that Sam has ever come across. Famine looks like he could be knocked over by a strong breeze but Sam knows that looks can be deceptive and these men could wipe out the human race in a matter of minutes. They both swear their alliance to Sam the moment that they enter into the room.

Others walk in. There isn't just demons and creatures of hell. There are several alpha vampires. They are old, very old and yet they don't want the party to end. They know what will happen to them if the angels get their own way. There are shifters and changelings, creatures that Sam didn't even realise had organised representatives but they all want their word. They all want to stand up against the angels and make sure that they got out of this alive.

War takes the stand because Sam isn't prepared. It seems that all of them have been planning this moment for a long time.

"We are going to start a war against Heaven," War begins and Sam cannot help but think that this had been his plan when he didn't have a soul.

Chuck wakes up, coated in sweat. The dreams are bad, they always are. He usually just gets up, starts drinking and then starts writing. Only he knows now. He had seen them with his own eyes and he thinks that they will want to know the truth. He has to tell them. Only he cannot find them.

He spends two hours in the freezing cold morning calling for Dean, Cas, Gabriel, anyone that he knows will be listening but the angels aren't of course and he knows deep down that most of what he has seen has already come true. They have Dean and they are going to kill him. He remembers feeling how happy Dean had been last night. Castiel might not have been well, he still isn't well, but Dean had been so happy at the thought they are going to spend the rest of their lives together. Well the rest of their lives aren't going to be much longer.

He gives up and gets into his car. He thinks of one person that has always been close to the Winchesters. He is their closest friend on heaven, Earth and hell. He is their father-figure after their own had died. He has to find Bobby Singer.

"Going somewhere?" a voice says behind him. Chuck spins around, looking rather comical in his dressing gown. He is faced with a bald man in a smart suit. He looks at Chuck like he is something he has found on the bottom of his shoe. He hasn't been in the Winchesters' lives so far but Chuck knows how he is. He has been pulling someone of the strings, planting things into Gabriel's head.

"Zachariah," Chuck gasps. He is an angel, a strong angel and this is so beyond Chuck's pay grade that it is almost embarrassing.

"I guess you know me from your work," Zachariah replies.

"What do you want?" Chuck demands but it comes out more like a squeak. He isn't brave like the Winchesters. He is a writer!

"I know what you are planning to do Chuck," Zachariah says. "And I think you would reconsider."

"I have to warn them what is going on," Chuck says.

"You should know that once you have seen it, it happens, You are a prophet. Once you have seen it so shall it be," Zachariah explains. "There is nothing that you can do."

"I am sure if I…"

"What I mean is that there is nothing you can do because I will stop you," Zachariah says. "People shouldn't know too much about their own destiny." Chuck knows the Winchesters destiny. If he can't stop them then there is only one thing he can do. He turns and heads to go back into the house.

"Where are you going?"

"To go to kill myself."

"Don't be so melodramatic," Zachariah says. "We'd only bring you back to life."

"What am I supposed to do."

"What you always do, write," Zachariah replies and then he is gone.

It doesn't mean that Chuck's story is over because he has seen the end of everything. The whole world torn into a thousand pieces in ways that is beyond anything that even Chuck can imagine. The sort of pain and horrors that they are experiencing now it nothing compared to what the angels really have planned. He isn't going to let it happen.

He packs a bag. It is mostly alcohol but he takes pretty much anything that he thinks will be important. He has experienced the Winchester life for a long time now. He knows who to live on the road and hunt demons even if he will never have the courage to do it himself. He has a lot of knowledge that the angels have accidentally given him and this is going to be painful.

In the safe of his own bathroom he gets to work. He has a razor that had been gifted to him that he has never used. He strips out of most of his clothes and touches the blade to the skin of his torso. The metal is cold and sharp and he hisses but he has to go on. It is the only way that he can do this.

He starts on his chest and several bottles of cheap whiskey later he is covered on most parts of his body with small slight cuts, but not just anything, they are Enochian. It is warding sigils. It will protect him from allowing the angels from finding him. It will give him enough protection to get to Bobby Singer's on time.

Dean is the first to wake up because he is the one that the angels have allowed to wake up. His first thought it to Castiel, his second is to why he is waking up in the first place and then his third is the knowing that he is in trouble.

He is tied down, to what he cannot tell because when he opens his eyes, all he can see is a great light. It is brighter than the sun. It is pure white and it takes him a moment to realise, it is him. He is glorious. This must be heaven, he thinks because he cannot exist like this on Earth.

He turns his head and notices two shapes beside him. They are large, like the size of buildings, a lot bigger than Dean is. They don't look exactly like bodies but there is the resemblance of limbs and bodies and behind them, wings. He knows that they are Castiel and Gabriel. He just knows. He can also tell that Castiel is still skin but being here has temporarily suspended the poison that runs through his body. The weapons of hell cannot exist in Heaven.

Dean wants to scream and shout. There is no one around to hear him through or so he thinks. There is nothing but a huge field. He thinks that he would scream for days and there would be no one there to hear him. He just wants to know what is going on.

He stays there for hours. Castiel and Gabriel still unable to wake. He might not be the smartest person there is but he knows one thing for sure. He isn't here because they want to torture him. No, the angels have brought them here to get them out of the way.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N**: Wow, it is over. No more left of this now. I hope you like it. I apologise in advanced but it is now 1am and I am still in my university library writing this after an exam so I can't claim that it won't be a whole load of spelling mistakes and plot errors (I already realised that I included Zachariah in Holy Angel, Batman and had to go back and edit it out!). But I tried to tidy it up the best as I can. I have to admit, I had no idea how this was going to end until I was almost finished writing.

In other news, I am going to go over this and HAB and do some serious editting. Anyone willing to be a beta would be most willingly accepted!

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><p>The demons begin to assemble. It takes a lot of power to drag all of the souls up from where they have been casted down into the pit. Thousands of thousands of demons allowed to walk on the surface of the Earth for the first time in millennia. It would be considered hell on Earth. Entire cities are possessed. The demons have control of the major cities. They are a strong enough force to take down anything that steps in their way. Because they don't because they have their orders. Sam doesn't want them to hurt any of the humans and they listen to him. Sam is surprised but they do.<p>

There is no sight of Dean or Cas or Gabriel but they have not begun their siege of Heaven. Angels had taken apart Hell to get Dean out. It had taken them a long time but they had managed. The demons would be able to take hell a lot easier. There were so much more of them and they had been annoyed with the way that the angels had been running things for far too long. Sam knows of their rage, he doesn't share it but he encourages it because it keeps them going. It keeps them in order.

It's been nearly a week since Sam has last seen his brother. He misses him with every moment. The angels have probably killed him by now. They have taken him and destroyed him because they don't like anyone who would rule over them who isn't God. Only God has been missing for a long time now and the angels need someone to tell them that they are wrong. This isn't the way that things are supposed to be. The human race should be allowed to continue.

Sam is in Lawrence. He finds Castiel's house. He can almost remember being there. Most of his previous memories are nothing more than flashes apart from his most brutal moments, he can feel every second of torturing Gabriel, he can hear the sounds of Uriel's wing bones breaking in his bear fingers and every name of every human that he got killed will be permanently buried into his memory. He is glad that he knows of the bad stuff because it is what keeps him human, it is what keeps him carrying.

He is standing in the house. He thinks that this must have been where Dean and Castiel spent their days when hunting him down. He can see traces of Dean amongst the rooms. There are things like random dvds and LPs scattered around the rooms which couldn't belong to Castiel. The bed is half made. Dean was still human when he was in the bed. He probably shared it with his angel. It constantly surprised Sam with how grown-up Dean was becoming. He'd settled down, he'd got engaged and though Sam had been against it to begin with, he realises now that he feels sad because Dean might never have a chance to get married.

War appears before him. He is covered in blood. It is from an angel, of course. Sam doesn't want to know about the torture of the poor creature. The demons have an indiscriminate hatred of angels. Sam doesn't because the two, hell three, most important people in his life are angels. He isn't going to say that they are all bad because they aren't. He doesn't like to think about an angel dying only because they happen to be one.

"I have important information," War begins. He has become Sam's right hand man. Sam doesn't want a right hand man, especially not a Horseman but becoming the ruler of hell means that this is the best that he is going to get.

"What is it?" Sam asks impatiently. He doesn't like the demons or Horsemen being here. It is a house of angels.

"The angel, the one that is in charge of it all, is called Zachariah…"

"And you think killing Zachariah will stop the rest of the angels from trying to cause the Rapture?" Sam interrupts.

"If you wish to put it like that," War responds with an insolent tone. He might be subordinate to Sam but it doesn't mean that he has to like it.

Sam sighs. It just means another death, another angel dying. He supposes that Zachariah is going to be a complete tool but it doesn't matter. He doesn't mean that he necessarily deserves a death sentence. Unless it was him. Then he would pay for all the humans that he has killed.

Dean manages to get out. It takes a long time but that is all that he has. Once he is off the thing that has tied him down, he realises that it is a crucifix and thinks about how strange it is. The ground feels real beneath his feet and there are birds singing nearby. It isn't what he ever thought that Heaven would look like this.

If this is Heaven, then there has to be God right? Dean is trying to think logically. He isn't exactly a religious person but he has wings, he is an angel and he is in Heaven, it is a little bit hard to ignore the presence of the man upstairs when all the signs point to the fact that he has to be around here somewhere. Dean falls to his knees and prays because he is fresh out of options.

He tries everything he can think of. He begs, pleads, bargains, demands but there is no sign of any divine intervention.

"Screw it," Dean says out loud. "I'll do it myself."

He goes to Gabriel and Castiel. He cannot get either of them to wake up. He tries whatever he can. He even commands for them to move but it doesn't work. He mutters to Gabriel that he should do the hokey chokey but it doesn't change anything. They are still both out for the fight. It really is all up to him then. He has to find Sam.

"Where do you think that you are going?" a voice demands from beside him. Dean spins around and sees another angel standing beside him. He is just a huge ball of light just like Castiel and Gabriel. He is a lot larger than Dean is. He is probably a lot stronger. Dean can see inside his Grace and identifies the creature as Zachariah. He is glorious and terrifying. Dean doesn't know whether to get onto his knees and start to cry or if he should run away.

"I need to get to my brother," Dean says. He realises that they are not talking as Dean would think of it. If Sam was with them now, his ears would burst and his brains would be pouring out of his skull. Dean can hear it find though and he can see from the way that Zachariah's Grace shifts that he is going to try and stop Dean at all costs. Dean isn't going to go down without a fight. It isn't the Winchester way of doing things.

"I don't think so," Zachariah responds. He moves but it isn't a proper step. Dean doesn't have the chance to register the movement. One minute he is standing an arms distance away and then he is right in Dean's face.

"You aren't going to stop me," Dean says.

"I don't think so," Zachariah says. Something happens, Dean doesn't know what it is but his vision goes purple and then deep red and then everything is black. He doesn't think after that.

Chuck is on his way to Bobby Singer's Salvage Yard in South Dakota when something makes him want to go to Kansas. Chuck has never been to Kansas but when the nice young lady at the ticket office asks him where he wants to go, the words leave his mouth before he has a chance to think about it. He doesn't know what possesses him to do so and he really hopes that it isn't a demon.

Chuck is a write which means that he is not adapted for travel especially not travel that means being stuck in a moving tin can surrounded by people. He thinks that he should have gotten a car or anything else. He thinks that he should have grown wings like Dean does.

His single consolation is that during his journey he doesn't get any visions. He thinks that it must be because the angels cannot find him to plant the knowledge into his head. He hopes that is the case and not because both of the Winchesters are dead. He needs to hold on to that hope. At least, he knows one thing. The moment that the Winchesters fail, the world will burn. He cannot give up because he knows that they haven't yet.

The demons work hard on discovering a way to find Zachariah but in the end it is just a simple spell and a hole load of Holy Oil that will get him into their mitts. Sam knows the words. He had used them on Gabriel once before. He never thought that he would be trapping another angel. He thinks that he should send Dean that memo, if they both get through this. Dean needs to make sure that the angels can properly protect themselves. They have been so arrogant until recently. It is going to get them all killed.

He casts the spell. It isn't in Castiel's house. He thinks that it would be offensive. No, Sam finds a field close to the cemetery. Somewhere less than fifty minutes behind him lay the ashes of both his mother and father. He never showed up for his father's funeral but he still thinks that if he dies today, he wants to be buried there with them.

Everywhere is covered with demons and other hellish creatures. Sam thinks back to a time when he was hunting with Dean and dad. It would be like Christmas to see so many creatures together. A couple of exorcisms, salt rounds and iron rods and they could destroy half of the evil on the planet. Sam isn't that person anymore. He had been a horrible life but he wants it back more than anything. Everything had seemed to be so simple.

Zachariah appears. He has no choice to do so but he doesn't look surprised. In his arms is a man that Sam immediately recognises as Dean. Sam immediately wants to call a truce, a surrender, anything to get his brother back alive. There is only one thing that is more important to him than the rest of the world and that happens to be his brother. He doesn't think that Dean would ever forgive him though if he destroyed everything for him.

"Well done," Sam says with forced sarcasm. "You have worked out my weakness. Unlike every other person on this planet."

Zachariah doesn't say anything for a second and Sam realises what the angel's game plan is. The circle of fire is only large enough to hold one person. It was all that it was intended for which means that the flames are perilously close to Dean's wings which aren't even folded on his back. Dean is an angel. His wings pass through the fire and then he will die. Zachariah sees this eventuality pass through his mind. Sam knows that he has already won.

"If I die, then he dies," Zachariah says simply. He doesn't seem evil. He just seems desperate. He knows that he isn't likely to make it out of this alive and he has known for some time. Perhaps that is the way that it is supposed to be. If Zachariah dies then it is the end of the world. It is the end of Dean too. How could this be the game plan? Why would the angels want something where in all eventualities they would lose? Perhaps they all know that Sam, unlike Dean, cannot kill his brother to save everyone else.

Everyone has been calling Dean weak. Perhaps they are wrong. It is Sam who is the one that is weak.

Chuck appears in Lawrence, Kansas, in the middle of the afternoon. It is a nice day. The sun is shining and everyone seems to be cheerful around him. He cannot tell like all the humans around him that there is something going on in the graveyard. That isn't Chuck's job though. He isn't supposed to be there. No, he goes to the opposite end of the city, to the house that Castiel and Dean once shared.

The place is exactly like how he saw it. He remembers all the times. He can walk through each of the rooms and see where Dean had faced Sam and for the first time saw Sam for the monster that he was. He sees the kiss that happened after it. The first kiss between Dean and Castiel. It would be the beginning of a love that could literally change the world. Not to mention mean that Chuck would be in therapy for the rest of this life.

He finds Castiel's blood. It is drawn around the house as Castiel tried to protect himself and Dean against all the things that wanted to kill them. It is dry and crusted but that doesn't matter. It is still the angel's blood. Angel blood has a lot of power.

Chuck works quickly. Castiel kept his house well stocked and those who have been in the house since Castiel had left have not taken the things that Chuck needs and he is grateful because he isn't sure exactly where is supposed to get most of the stuff from.

The spell is simple and it isn't long before the angel is crashing into the kitchen. He is still injured. His time in Heaven has not made him any better. It doesn't matter, Chuck just needs him alive to do what he has to so that the world isn't destroyed. Castiel will last for a couple more hours.

He grabs hold of the angel and supports him like Dean had done those hundreds of times when Castiel used to pass out after hunts. He curses because in his head, Dean made it seem so easy. It isn't and Chuck has to carry the angel for quite some time.

"Work with me, Cas," Chuck pleads. The angel's eyes flicker open for a moment. He seems to make a conscious effort to be lighter.

"We have to kill him now!" War demands. There is a general murmur of approval amongst the demon ranks. Sam wishes that they would all disappear. He needs to make this decision by himself. He doesn't need their pressure. He wants to make sure that he is making the right decision. He just need time to think.

"Shut up," Sam demands. Dean shudders awake with the noise. He immediately fights against Zachariah before he notices the fire. Sam doesn't know what Zachariah has done to Dean but he doesn't seem to be able to do much. He opens his mouth to speak but no words come out. He is trapped with Zachariah and there is nothing that he can do about it. It only makes it harder for Sam. It would easier to kill his brother if his brother wasn't awake to see it.

"I am sorry, Dean," Sam says. He has a knife in his hand. It is the only blade that will kill an angel. Sam takes one look and throws it. It hits Dean in the chest. The force of the blade, sends Dean backwards and the resultant effect sends Zachariah backwards into the flames. His body immediately goes up into smoke and then he is gone. The demons let out a triumphant cry. Sam doesn't feel like celebrating.

He rushes over to Dean's body, extinguishing the flames with a wave of his hands. He isn't dead yet. This confuses Sam. The angel blade would have killed him immediately. Dean looks up at him and smiles. The wound is bleeding a bright light. Sam removes the weapon from his brother's chest.

"You are going to be okay," Sam insists. Dean doesn't seem to think so.

"I suppose I am still just human," Dean says with a grimace. The sliver of human inside him is the only thing that he is keeping him alive.

"I'm so sorry," Sam cries. Dean groans in pain.

"Don't blame yourself. Don't you dare beat yourself up over this," Dean insists. "You have to be strong."

"Dean, I can't do it. Not without you."

"You have… to… please…" Dean breathes out. His breathing is ragged now. Each breath is a little bit more difficult. He isn't going to last much longer.

"It's not supposed to end like this!" Sam begs.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," a voice says. Sam turns around. It is just Crowley but with him is a person that Sam doesn't know and there is an angel who seems to be unconscious. "I found this thing on our doorstep and they needed a hand."

Crowley helps the strange man carried Castiel towards where Dean and Sam are. Castiel seems to come to. "Dean," he mutters.

"Hey, Cas," Dean smiles. "It seems like we are both dying."

"No, Dean," Castiel remarks. "We are not." Castiel looks towards Chuck.

"I suppose I have to reveal my hand now," Chuck smirks. He places Castiel on the floor and then click his fingers. He ragged clothes change into a white suit. It might not be the most impressive thing in the world but it is then that everyone in the place realises. Chuck is God.

Most of the demons disappear.

"I think you boys have suffered enough," Chuck says with a smile. The clicks his fingers again and both Castiel and Dean are healed. Dean isn't even grateful.

"Where were you when we needed you?" Dean demands.

"Developing this plot story. It wouldn't have been such a trial if I had made it easy for you but now you are ready," Chuck/God says. His voice has changed. Not in pitch or volume but in depth. There is something else behind it.

"Ready for what?" Sam dares to asks.

"To take over Heaven and Hell. I can leave this place in your capable hands," Chuck says. Then with another click of his fingers he is gone.

"Screw God," Dean says out loud to no one in particular. He might be annoyed with Chuck but he is rather glad with the way that things have turned out. He takes Castiel's hand in his own. If someone told him three years ago that he would kill his brother, become an angel, take over Heaven and settle down, he would have shot them full of rock salt, only he cannot think of anywhere else that he would rather be.

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><p>I hope you enjoyed the story! I already have plot bunnies for another fic post 6.22. But well done for getting this far!<p>

Please review! Any comments are welcome!


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